Intention is the starting point of every dream (Deepak Chopra)

In January of this year, I went on a wonderful vacation to Maui to celebrate my anniversary with my husband. It was the perfect time to reflect and set my intentions on what I want and where I want to go.

Photo courtesy of Istockphoto.com/Peshkova

When setting intentions, I kept it simple. I articulated my desire to become a successful writer and I envisioned what that would look like to me. Everyday on the vacation, I consistently threw my intentions out to the universe. Mind you, I had been doing that for a least a year prior to vacation, but I wasn’t as diligent nor as mindful. My intentions must have been heard because only a few days into our vacation, the first door in this writing journey appeared.

Just so we’re clear, doors are opportunities and when they present themselves you have a choice:

• Walk through the door and see where it takes you.
• Bypass the door.
• Close the door.

The first door on this journey

I received a promotional email from Hay House for a writer’s workshop they were doing in San Francisco which is just an hour away from where I live. Hay House is a publishing house known for products that have a positive self-help slant. Though this is not typically the genre I write in, I still felt that this would be a good starting point into the world of writing.

When I got home from Maui, I signed up for the workshop. Even though I knew this was the right first step, I still felt nervous. Insecurity about being a “real writer” ran through my head right up until the moment I sat down at that workshop. But within the first 5 minutes of being there, I met 3 women who have become a wonderful support system for me. The camaraderie we shared by being on the same journey caused my insecurities to slowly melt away.

The workshop was fabulous! They talked about writing as well as publishing and marketing. Out of all the material they presented, my 3 biggest takeaways were:

1. Promotion, promotion, promotion – Regardless of how I publish my book (self-publish vs traditional publisher) I will be the person who must promote and sell my book.
2. A book proposal is a useful tool to help you market and clarify the audience for your book. It is also necessary if you want to find a literary agent and if you want to publish through a traditional publisher.
3. Regardless of whether I publish or not, the sheer fact that I put words to paper and allow my creativity to pour forth makes me a writer.

The workshop was not only validating and encouraging but it planted the seeds I needed to begin this journey.

Walking through the door

Doors are a gateway into the unknown and the unknown can definitely be scary! I don’t believe you need to be brave to go through a door, but I do think you need to trust. Trust that you have it within you to face anything you encounter. Trust that the door (opportunity) wouldn’t have presented itself if you weren’t ready for it.

“Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear; The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.”
– Meg Cabot, The Princess Diaries

When faced with something new and unknown, something that fills me with trepidation, I like to ask myself:

”What is the worst case scenario?”

Often times the answer is “I’ll end up exactly where I am right now.” If that’s the case then why not take a chance and see where that door will lead you?

Next up: more details about my 2014 plan!

Question: What door has opened for you after putting your intentions out into the universe?