I have taken a couple days off from the blog challenge because weekends are my time for strategizing the big picture view here at Freelance Writers Academy. So let’s get back into the swing of things, shall we?

 

Today’s Challenge: What’s does your perfect day look like?

 

The idea behind this challenge is to imagine and write down what a perfect day is for you from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. Who are you spending time with? How are you making money? Where are you living? What activities make up your day? It’s an intriguing and creative exercise.

 

That’s not going to happen in this post. I have thought long and hard about this question over the weekend. I imagined countless perfect day scenarios and could have picked any one of them really and be happy about it. But the rebel in me kept loudly voicing her own opinion.

 

I think that dreaming about a perfect day scenario can be advantageous but only to a point. Doing this exercise causes you to consider what is truly most important to you. How you spend your time is a reflection of what value most in life since time is the most precious commodity any human being has. So imagining what a perfect day looks like for you can be great in a “Know Thyself” sort of way. However, there is a dark side (and no, it does not have cookies).

 

Let me explain. The perfect day exercise naturally veers to an escape from reality mentality. When most people get the opportunity to imagine a “perfect day,” they naturally veer towards a 24-hour period containing nothing that could bring them pain. The supposition is that there are things in life that suck right now. What if there was a day if things didn’t suck? What if there was a day where everything went the way I think it should and there was no pain or struggle?

 

Human beings are wired for improvement. We judge ourselves and everything around us. We instinctively look for things that aren’t right and desire to make it right. We strive for better. We desire more. We grow and change. We work to make things different.

 

I’ve spent (cough) years on this planet and have not yet had a perfect day. I don’t expect to have one in the future. This isn’t an Eeyore mentality. I’ve had great days, and I’ve had bad days. Some bad days contained the hardest challenges and the most heart-wrenching pain I’ve ever experienced.

 

It was exactly those ugly challenges that brought beautiful gems into my life once I made it through. I grew stronger, wiser, better because of these obstacles. I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for the good stuff than I had when times were wonderful.

 

Painful experiences are life’s gym. We develop bigger muscles, higher endurance, and massive strength. Without harsh training, we atrophy. We lose our ability to maximize our potential. We may not like the training regimen but it does achieve results that are best for us.

 

When indulging in the fantasy of a perfect day, we fail to realize that perhaps the very things we view as “sucky” today may be the necessary catalyst for future blessing. Is it possible that if we got our “perfect day”, we would rob ourselves of a possible blessing?

 

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Today’s Challenge: Write a response blog post to this question:

 

What is your definition of location independence?

 

Not being tied down to any particular location is definitely a dream of mine. I used to love road trips as a kid. Every summer my dad would pack up the van and we would head off exploring some part of the United States for two straight weeks.

 

We’d sleep in the van and bring food so we wouldn’t spend anything on hotels or restaurants if we didn’t have to. That was when you could get away with doing those types of things. It’s not that way anymore.

 

I miss it. But as I think about traveling all over the world now, I’m not so sure I really deep down inside want it in reality. So much has changed since then, and not for the better.

 

The Downside

 

The last few road trips my family has taken were pretty stressful as far as travel was concerned. People drive crazier now, and are in a lot more of a hurry. Sure, there are other forms of transportation. None of those thrill me either.

 

My husband and I are both afraid of heights, so traveling by plane isn’t an option we look forward to. I don’t like being in heavily crowded areas, so that rules out plane, train, and bus. My husband and I joke around comparing ourselves to Jack and Rose from the Titanic movie, so perhaps traveling by boat isn’t a good idea.

 

So I think that in order for my husband and me to be truly happy with being location independent, we’d probably have to start off high-class. Hire a limo driver to take us everywhere. We could probably deal with having a private pilot and our own jet plane but since we are not at that point in our life yet; we’ll have to wait and see.

 

The Good Side

 

I do like a lot of things that being location independent provides. You have a whole lot less stuff to take care of and clean. This frees up tons of time to develop other areas of your life: spending time with family and friends, creating and expanding business projects, and involving yourself into more relaxation and recreational activities.

 

Being location independent expands your horizons and provides learning experiences you just can’t get from reading a book, attending a class, or watching a video on YouTube. Being physically, emotionally, and spiritually involved enriches you in ways you will never expect.

 

Thanks for the Memories…

 

One of the richest experiences I ever had was when I traveled to Mexico on a mission trip when I was 16. Years later, I remember almost every single moment to this day. It’s kind of impossible to forget running around Mexico in a pirate outfit, knowing only a handful of words in Spanish, and being terrified to eat or drink anything because the water is so terrible that it might kill you.

 

I remember the time when my youth pastor had to figure out how to buy feminine hygiene products in an open market place because there was no one else available to help me. (Poor guy…I still feel bad to this day.)

 

I remember taking my stepdaughter to a resort and watching her bounce backwards full blast off a screened sliding balcony door after racing to tell me something incredibly important. (Thank goodness the screen was there. If not, she would have hurled herself off a second floor balcony.)

 

Okay, so none of those things were cultural learning experiences that made me a better person. But the point is they were experiences I would never have had were I not willing to have an adventurous spirit and travel outside of my current location.

 

And these are just some of the memories that when shared create a bonding experience that stays strong for a lifetime. Becoming location independent will provide even more of these great experiences and provide opportunities that just may not be available otherwise. Bonus: these experiences also are great fodder for me as a writer.

 

What would being location independent do for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE: Write a response blog post to this question:

 

What’s your definition of freedom in business and adventure in life?

 

 

Writer Unchained.

 

 

Freedom in Business

 

What does it mean to be unchained?

 

It means that my business (and my life for that matter) is not held back by societal expectations or roles. I can run my business however, wherever, and whenever I want. I don’t have to punch a time clock or wake up to an annoying alarm.

 

I’m not defined by the amount of money I make or what I own. I’m not judged by the color of my skin or my gender. All of these things mean freedom to me both in business and life. When I can get to where I can fully express myself creatively and pursue my passions without expectation or criticism, which will mean total freedom to me.

 

Freedom is not anything involving the acronym YOLO. Activities attaching themselves to the You Only Live Once philosophy generally are an excuse to achieve personal gain at someone else’s expense and/or to self-destructive ends.True freedom seeks bringing out the  best of humanity. True freedom pursues expansion of potential and transforms horns into halos.

 

Adventure in Life

 

As early as I can remember, I had an overwhelming desire to explore. No restraint could hold me back, not even a chain-linked fence. Before my parents knew it, I would be crawling across heavy-trafficked roads or playing with windmills in an unsuspecting neighbor’s yard. I wanted to see everything and figure out how it worked. I was never happy to stay within my confined space. I had to know what was out there and I didn’t want to miss a thing.

 

At school, I hated the labels that defined the various cliques: jocks, nerds, stoners, loners. I never did fit in to any particular group and never wanted to. If you were to put any label on me at that time or even now, it would probably be rebel. I was always determined to stand out from the crowd and determined that no one should be shunned or excluded for any reason. There’s no excuse.

 

I never did like being told what to do or how to do it. (Still don’t-just ask my husband.) I don’t even like being bound to a specific place. Don’t get me wrong; I have unwavering loyalty to my hometown near Chicago, Illinois. Always will. But I don’t want to be forced to stay there indefinitely.

 

Currently, I live in Michigan. And I have hated every moment of it except the times I’ve spent with husband and family. Already the snow is making its appearance here. Every ounce of my body wants to pounce. I want to go somewhere warm, somewhere I have never been, anywhere from here.

 

But we have to stay here at least four more years. My youngest step-daughter just started high school this year and until she graduates; we cannot leave. It’s driving me crazy. I eagerly await the day that my husband and I can take off and begin our exploration of those mythical monsters and medieval castles I mentioned in yesterday’s blog post.

 

The biggest adventure in life is for me to break free of my own chains. To be free from the inner critic and self-imposed limitations that hold me back from achieving what I want most out of life. For the first time in my life, I am boldly breaking down those barriers and am more proud of myself than I have ever been. And I am helping others to do the same. I truly am becoming….

 

Writer Unchained

 

What chains are you breaking in your life? Share in the comments below.

 

Today’s Challenge: Write a response blog post to this question:

 

If you woke up tomorrow and were free to do anything you wanted with your life, what would you do and who would you be?

 

I would easily say I would be a writer. I would do what I am already doing right now by teaching and helping other writers be successful in pursuing their dreams. Only on a bigger scale.

 

My goal has always been to live life on my own terms. To have the freedom to be, to do, and to have anything I want. I want to travel the world and experience all that life has to offer. I want to explore ancient mysteries and lands of mythical monsters and medieval castles- taking the time to truly enjoy everything around me.

 

I want to live on past this physical existence. To be remembered long after I was gone. To be legendary and leave a legacy. Words never rang truer for me than those penned by Beyonce in her song “I Was Here”:

 

I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time

Know there was something that, meant something that I left behind

When I leave this world, I’ll leave no regrets

Leave something to remember, so they won’t forget

 

I was here

 

I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted

And it was more than I thought it would be

I will leave my mark so everyone will know

I was here

 

 

I want to say I lived each day, until I died

And know that I meant something in, somebody’s life

The hearts I have touched, will be the proof that I leave

That I made a difference, and this world will see

 

 

I was here

I lived, I loved

I was here

I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted

And it was more than I thought it would be

I will leave my mark so everyone will know

 

 

I just want them to know

That I gave my all, did my best

Brought someone some happiness

Left this world a little better just because

 

I was here

 

 

I just want to be. Fully. Completely. Without lack spiritually, emotionally, physically.

 

Isn’t that what we all want?

 

I want more. How about you?

I recently came across an interesting blog challenge that a fellow writer is doing and I thought I would give it a shot. I wanted to do something that would give a behind the scenes look and share the personal side of Freelance Writers Academy and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

 

The idea of the 30 day challenge is about creating freedom and adventure in all areas of your life. It is based upon Natalie Sisson’s blog and book The Suitcase Entrepreneur. Writers are challenged each of the 30 days with a prompt by email encouraging us to dig deeper into the concept of being a traveling entrepreneur and helping us to develop the habit of writing consistently.

 

TODAY’s challenge: Write a post on why you started your blog, who you wanted to reach, what you wanted it to be all about. Then state why you joined this blog challenge and what you want to get out of it.

 

Day 1

 

I started this blog because I finally decided start living a dream I buried for most of my life. Late last year, I began to realize I wasn’t going to be able to keep going in my current field for much longer. The wear and tear of taking care of the physical and emotional needs of elderly and developmentally disabled clients was taking too much of a toll on my physical body and my own mental health. I started contemplating other ways of making a living. That’s when a dream I abandoned long ago rose to the surface.

 

Flashback

 

I fell in love with reading at a very early age. When I was a toddler, my dad would spread out the Sunday newspaper on the living room floor and I would point out words and ask him what they were. As I grew older, I would wander around the house with my bulky tape recorder and pretend to be a journalist, reporting on all the household news and events. I devoured all sorts of books, enamored in the thoughts of others and wanting to learn more about the world around me.

 

I created crossword puzzles and other fun stuff for the middle school newspaper. I wrote poetry as a teen and dreamed of being a best-selling author. My best friend and I even created our own newspaper just for fun. I loved the creative process and how others thought and came to the conclusions they had. But after high school, that dream began its slow death. I fell into what I thought was love, became engaged, and found myself pregnant. My partner at the time was none too happy to hear the news and walked away from the relationship entirely.

 

I was not only starting my own life, but bringing in another at the same time. I scrambled over the next few years trying to survive each day and make enough money to support me and my newborn daughter. I met someone new and moved out of state to be with him. We had a child together and I started a career taking care of others in the health care field. Life carried on with the usual bumps and bruises over the next seven years. Then dreams started to turn into nightmares. The relationship went sour pretty fast and I lost everything as a result. Ugh! Time to rebuild all over again.

 

After 3 more years of rebuilding, I enter into long-term relationship number 3. The trials are far from over. We become engaged and then soon after, my fiancé faces a long-term disability that almost killed him. It took him over 7 years to get to almost normal and still has to fight every day.It’s this relationship that started me to start dreaming again.

 

My husband has been as supportive as possible, even when things look bleak. We poured ourselves into any business venture we could get into. We share the same values and aspirations and I am extremely grateful for that. I don’t think I could have been as brave enough to do what I have been doing for the past few months if I didn’t have the support I get from him.

 

A New Birth

 

I started playing around with the idea of writing again late last year. I started wondering if it was even possible. Over 25 years had passed since I had last written anything on a creative level. Did I even have it in me anymore? I had to test it out.

 

I started listening to a show online called the Self-Publishing Podcast with Johnny Truant, David Wright, and Sean Platt. I scoured the Internet to try to catch up on all that has happened since I left the writing world. I looked for writing communities to become involved in and settled in with Scribophile. I studied and critiqued other writers and submitted a few works of my own. I received tons of positive feedback and brushed up a few skills that went rusty after so much time away.

 

I regained confidence in my writing almost immediately. It was now time to put it to the test and see if I could earn money doing what I loved. Poking around in the forums, I posted a question asking other writers how they earned money writing. I didn’t expect the answers I received. The vast majority scoffed and answered brutally that writing was not a profession where you could make a living. Writing was just something you did as creative expression; there was no money in creating  works of art.

 

Dejected, I refused to give up. There has to be a way! About a week later, I received a message from a fellow writer on Scribophile telling me of an opportunity he knew. He shared the editor’s name and email address and encouraged me to contact her. I jumped at the chance and got the gig. The pay wasn’t much but it was at least a start. I wrote a few articles in my off-time from work and saw all of them published. I looked for other writing opportunities as well. I joined Elance and oDesk and bid for the jobs I felt confident that I could do.

 

After a few minor gigs and being ripped off by a client on Elance, I quickly came to the conclusion that many freelancing jobs on content mills and freelance bidding sites just don’t pay enough to even make it worth your time. I started to feel pretty hopeless about the whole thing but I was determined not to give up.

 

Phoenix Rising

 

I discovered the right way to pitch and find high quality clients that will pay you what you are worth. I joined forces with some of the most amazing minds in this industry and we created a place where writers could go and learn how to advance in their careers and earn what they truly deserve. And while this place called the Kingdom of Paidalot costs money to join, I didn’t want writers who couldn’t afford to pay to be left out in the cold. That’s why I offer tons of free information and resources here at Freelance Writers Academy.

 

I am writing this blog to not only record my adventures in the writing world but to help and inspire others as well who want to become writers or who are struggling to do so. I hope you will follow along with me. Let’s walk together and see where the road leads.