Transformation

My favourite saying is “after every storm if you look hard enough a rainbow appears,” it could be because I am an eternal optimist, or it could be my love for Mariah Carey – this is one of her quotes.

June and July were stormy, stormy months. I was caught in a downpour of unpleasant situation, after unpleasant situation. I faced feelings of confusion, fear, loneliness and sadness. If you look back on my previous blog post, I thought I had begun to set my boundaries but clearly there was more I needed to learn. What was amazing about June and July, was despite the uneasiness it enabled me to breakthrough limiting beliefs and change old patterns. It helped me to transform. I was called to declutter my life, saying goodbye to what no longer served me. I had to walk away from people and opportunities, that now as I reflect on them, were actually detours, I was heading in the wrong direction. I had to use my voice and call out inappropriate behaviour.

The biggest obstacle I had to face in June and July was standing up for who I am – my beliefs, values, background and persona. They were all called into question. My kindness was seen as a weakness and quiet character was considered a flaw, making me, apparently, invisible. I was encouraged to change who I am in order to fit nicely into my surroundings. But I didn’t. Instead, I spoke my truth, I gave myself worth and I am in a much happier place. This was a huge hurdle for me. For those who know me well, I am someone who tends to put others ahead of myself. I often see myself as less than. Being able to stand firm in my authenticity was such a mammoth feat. After the storm a rainbow has definitely appeared. I feel stronger.

The beauty of being an author is that you can use all that you go through to shape your stories and characters. I have certainly drawn upon the struggles I have faced in the past few months.

At the end of July, I felt my hard work was acknowledged. A story I have been creating was chosen as a finalist in the published category of the CYA All Stars competition. I also pitched this same story to a few publishers at the KidLitVic Conference and received some wonderful feedback and requests to see the story in its entirety. These were all magical moments for me, giving me hope that I still have further to go on my writing journey. The heartening words I received from the publishers I met are propelling me forward. All their kind and encouraging words mean the world to me. It is truly magic. I can’t wait to see what is to come and with my new transformation, I’m even more excited.

As I finish this blog post I want to remind you to always be you! Never, ever change…I am writing this for my own benefit too, I may need to recall this in the future…hopefully my transformation sticks!  

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTHS

Delighted to have my latest work in progress shortlisted in the CYA All Stars Competition This is such a highlight for me & just what I needed  I’m so grateful. It’s time to feel the fear & do it anyway! 

Last weekend I was brave I attended a fabulous virtual writing conference, mingled with inspiring creators & met some incredible publishers. I pushed through fear in an effort to follow my passion for writing & pursue my dream of being an author Writing for me is pure joy. It makes me truly happy but there are times when it can be rather daunting for this quiet girl to put herself out there & share her work with the world. I’m so grateful for the opportunity I had last weekend. The experience was so uplifting. I feel energised from conquering my own fears, witnessing doors opening & hearing words of encouragement that’ll keep me forging ahead A huge thank you to the Kidlitvic- team, volunteers, publishers, writing community & presenters for such a wonderful conference. I gained so much. Thank you for sharing your time, knowledge & helping me grow as an author