🌟 Hello lovelies! And happy Monday. 🌟
Sorry that I’m sending this a little late as I’m writing it on Monday morning after a slow start to the day.
I’d planned to write to you last night, but instead I attempted a piece for WRITE UP Christmas Edition (donations to support this event would be very welcome!)
Although the odds of being selected to read are low, there’s still value in submitting. For me, it’s the necessary push to try something different and edge outside my comfort zone.
I’m not someone who ever thought of myself as a writer before finding Substack. Even now, at meetups I catch myself explaining that I’m not a “writer-writer” (i.e. published author, memoirist, novelist, poet…), I just write newsletters.
But writing a newsletter is writing, and in my almost 18 months of publishing Zestful Zen, it’s taught me lots. Communication skills certainly, but also things about myself, my curiosity and my capacity for creativity.
Since joining the Substack ecosystem, I’ve discovered many wonderful writers, and now I’m embracing the possibility that maybe I can write in other genres.
This doesn’t come naturally to me, so prompts are often helpful, like the WRITE UP theme, and I’m loving Beth Kempton’s Tiny Autumn Poems prompts right now.
I often need the forcing function of a deadline too - I wrote my WRITE UP piece 2 hours before closing, and my Work In Progress piece the morning of Amy I Beeson 🐝 writers’ circle!
I guess that’s how my brain works, I can trundle on for weeks thinking I’ve nothing to say, but once the final countdown clock starts ticking, a flash of inspiration hits.
How about you? Are there areas of life where you need a bit of prodding to expand your wings or get things over the line? What helps you to go outside your comfort zone?
Hi, I’m Holly, a career/life coach and mindfulness facilitator. I’m here to help you lead a life full of zest, zen, and purpose. Welcome to Monday Magic, a bitesized reflective prompt to help you start your week with intention. Come join the supportive Zestful Zen community. ✨
Your Monday Magic prompt
Anyway, enough rambling from me! I give you this week’s prompt:
How can I celebrate small wins this week?
This prompt is the perfect reminder to me, since after decades of employment, I started my full-time solopreneur journey last week.
A big motivation for this shift was the freedom to do things my way, flexibly flowing with my energy levels and interests.
And while I’m excited by all the possibilities, I also recognise that starting something totally new means slow beginnings, small wins, and sometimes mistakes.
So I’m celebrating the attempts as well as the outcomes, even when I don’t get it 100% right (like my discovery at the weekend that my lovely waitlist page wasn’t connected correctly in the back end, so never captured the sign-ups. 😭)
I’d love to hear any reflections you have on this prompt, drop your thoughts in the comments. 💬
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead,
P.S. If you’re enjoying these reflective prompts, then please sign up for my free Winter Wellbeing Workshop. I’d love to welcome you into this self-care circle.
Work with me! How I can help you ✅
For career clarity, navigating change and personal growth: 1-to-1 coaching.
For less stress and more zest: build mind-body connection and be fully present through mindfulness (live group classes and self-paced e-courses).
If you enjoyed this post, please comment, like or share with others. Thanks for your support! ✨
I'm so looking forward to reading your piece.