My next book project is called, Working From Home & Making It Work ©, based on almost thirty years of experience and independent study. It’s a compilation of some of my more recent inspirational keynotes, a hands-on interactive workshop by the same name, and the individual mentoring and consulting I do with clients. I thought I would invite you on my journey as I complete the creative process and next steps to finally bringing it to fruition … and perhaps along the way offer you encouragement to put pen to paper or fingers to your keyboard, so you too can share your insights and passions with others.
Do you love helping people and sharing what you’ve learned? Are you an expert in your field? Do you have great talks or workshop material you have created and delivered over the years to help empower and guide others towards a healthier, more productive and successful life – personally and/or in business?
Perhaps you’re a Naturopathic Doctor, Teacher, Fitness Trainer, Corporate Business Consultant, Youth Counsellor … or you have a favourite hobby that has become a business? Maybe you’re involved in your community through ministry or volunteerism … or you have a personal story that needs to be shared to give hope and guidance to those who may be experiencing something similar and need to know they’re not alone.
The possibilities are endless.
Let me begin with the part of my story that propelled me in the direction of entrepreneurship. Besides my obvious influences, like my father who always worked for himself, and a grandmother who had her own business as a seamstress well before the word “entrepreneur” was even acknowledged – when my husband and I were ready to start our family about twenty-eight years ago, I had a sense that things were going to change dramatically.
I was in the early years of a corporate career and doing quite well. At that time, there were new opportunities brewing that excited me. However, as old-fashioned or traditional as this may sound, the thought of being a Mom had a bigger hold over me – I couldn’t wait. And I wanted to have more choice than I saw my colleagues having at the time – getting up at the crack of dawn, dropping their children off at the babysitters, driving an hour to work in rush hour traffic … only to have barely a few hours in the evening to do and be “everything” … and then do it all over again the next day.
I was determined that wasn’t for me, and albeit with some youthful confidence and a bit of naivety, I felt that I had experienced enough in my life to believe that I could always revisit the many other things I still wanted to accomplish … and make them happen just a little later in my journey.
Working From Home & Making It Work © is a reflection of all that I’ve since learned, studied, experienced and more. It’s been a “work in progress” for much longer than I had planned. I’ve dabbled a bit with the manuscript, noting ideas I’d like to revisit when I could commit more time to it. I make a decision every day to focus on what I can do, not what I can’t or didn’t do. In fact, I had hoped to finish this manuscript last month. I’m not quite there yet, my life is full, for which I’m grateful. I juggle and make new decisions every day, every season and every year, as my priorities and needs dictate.
I continue to make weekly appointments in my calendar to “meet with myself” and work on my manuscript and I’m happy to share with you my progress so far:
- I’ve refined the Table of Contents further, which I find provides me with structure and a good check point as I add or edit certain chapters.
- I’ve done the first review of chapters one to five, and initiated permission requests by email for certain content or quote use.
Since this book is a compilation of work created and shared over many years, I have noticed my growth and evolving style of writing and communicating. It’s been interesting. At a few points I’ve considered rewriting. However, as I recall initially presenting the material in a talk or workshop and receiving such positive feedback, I’ve come to the conclusion that one of the sections in particular, is meant to be simply a collection of slightly edited transcripts.
And lastly, I love a book that I can pick up and open to almost any page for insight or inspiration, so I’m designing Working From Home & Making It Work © in this way. There are four parts including 1) transcripts of talks on things like Embracing Change to Leadership, 2) expanded transcripts of the same titled workshop, 3) poems with perspective and 4) actual exercises one can do as they continue to grow (helping with work/life balance, goals, shifting through challenges/blocks).
What are you working on? Please share your thoughts and ideas with me. And don’t forget to leave a link back to your own blog as well via the commentluv feature here on the site.
Until next time,
Sheri
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