Call Your Shot

I’ve been a bit MIA lately, but for good reason. Last year, I spent a lot of time doing what is known as productive procastination. This year, I called my shot and am busy picking away at it… one painful word at a time.

This past month I dug deep and committed to writing my second book. I know, I’ve been rambling about it for a year. The difference is I paid money to join a writing group that has two submission deadlines for unsolicited book proposals from humans without agents. If selected, I’d have an actual publishing team to help me through editing my next book and financing to fund it. This is with a major publishing company so it is more than a long shot. But, what I know without a doubt is that I’ll have a proposal and accompanying chapters to shop around this year because despite all of the blessings my parents gave me, frugality is alive and well in my life.

My book is honing in on everyday losses, including the death of my parents. For the purposes of this book, the bookends will likely be losing mom at 18 and dad at 43, but in-between I plan to share plenty of advice about the losses that are so often overlooked. Things like my failed adoption, friendships, pets, first loves, career and how motherhood challenged my identity. How we evolve from dreaming big to accepting what is and the limitations that come with adulting. I hope to share some of my life experiences framed around wisdom of folks much smarter than I to provide some context for coping with everyday losses.

Losses, grief, the two are somewhat interchangeable. But, there’s another word that’s been popping into my mind since listening to a fascinating podcast about regret. Daniel Pink recently wrote a book on the topic that I cannot wait to read. The Cliff’s notes version – we regret more of the things we don’t do than what we do, do. And, so many stories of my uncontrolled losses are a result of inaction versus action. Pink puts a lot of perspective to why that is which I hope to share as well.

I hope to share some snippets of my story in the coming months to gauge reaction, ask for some input and hopefully create a proposal that will result in a second book someday. It feels good to be writing again and my why remains just putting my perspective onto paper in hopes it’ll help someone else. I’ve also found that anytime I put a goal out into the universe (aka posting an update on this blog), I feel obligated to finish it. So this is me sharing my latest adventure.

When I’m not busy writing, I’m running again. James Clear continues to wreak havoc on my life with this 1% notion of leveling up. I’m building a strong base of what the healthy version of Beth would do. Right now, that looks like exercising daily with a 5k on the horizon and a TBD longer race to follow. So far, so good!

And that’s the latest from Moon Lake. Running, writing and living. It is a good life.