In October I realized I hadn’t published a book since 2018. The realization hit me to the core. I’ve been thinking all year that it was only two years since I published a book. Talk about an eye opener. It got me thinking about all the reasons I hadn’t published a book.

  1. I was saving to buy a home and since I self published, the money came out of my own pocket.
  2. Unexpected expenses with my apartment, car, and kids hit me hard.
  3. My father lost access to his social security funds and I was covering his expenses while trying to sort things out for him.
  4. COVID hit and everything went out the window for me.

I could list a bunch of other reasons and excuses, but it really boiled down to fear, and that fear paralyzed me in almost every area of my life, but especially in my writing and coaching. While I did have a few clients during that time, I didn’t take advantage of the numerous opportunities that presented themselves and my writing life showed it.

Fear also kept me from moving forward with finishing various books I’d started, pitching publishers like I’d planned, and even kept me from promoting my books.

The journey to walk through that fear wasn’t easy, and I’m hardly in the place where I can call myself fearless, but I did find methods to help me deal with my fear in new ways, since the old ways stopped working. In the last couple of months, the clouds of fear has lifted and the light of consistent confidence and the excitement of what lay ahead has kept me company. Best of all I had the courage to take action.

That action includes working on two books during National Novel Writing Month, promoting my books, launching new writing products, and creating a kickass plan for 2022.

I don’t have all the answers or know exactly how everything will work out (even with my plan), but I’m open to opportunities, and the limitless possibilities that are waiting around the corner. More importantly, I’m moving forward instead of remaining frozen.

What about you? How do you deal with fear?