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WHY MY FAMILY IS SO IMPORTANT TO MY SUCCESS:
Last in my “What Inspires Me February” is by far the most important. My family. I do not live in a bubble with a lot of caffeine, chocolate, books, and works in progress. I am a mother to two fiercely independent teen-adults who have flown the coup. I am a wife to a hardworking husband. I am also a niece, cousin, daughter, etc.
If not for all of the people around me, I would not be where I am today, or have plans to level up in the near future. I am grateful everyday for the supportive group of people that help this whole thing work.
Their strong support does so much more than they know in helping me to strive to be better with every book.
WE ALL MAKE SACRIFICES FOR THIS CREATIVE ENDEAVOR:
When I started writing, my babies were babies. I was working as a teacher full time and would come home to make dinner. Kid you not, back in those days with dial up. I would come home turn on the computer and go make dinner, because it would take that long for the dial up to kick in. My husband who also worked full time, would come home, and order me to go put on headphones and write. He was on second watch with the kids. Then there were the three hour drives once a month to get to my “local” RWA meeting. Conference weekends or weekends and plotting retreats all required my family to sacrifice.
As writers either full time or those who write in the spare moments should be acutely aware of all the sacrifice that happens for us to do what we do. With out my family ready and able to change things up to accommodate my writing I would not be writing.
THEY INSPIRE ME TO SUCCEED:
Every time a publish a new book, or see a milestone in my sales, or any number of other accomplishments, I know how it was possible.
I am inspired to show my daughters that working hard brings dividends worth working for. I want to show my husband that all those weekends away, and those evenings when I was getting through a tough scene make the difference.
With my family in support of me I know that I have already succeeded because there is a group that, at the end of the day, believe in me no matter what a bad review might say.
When I sit down to write a new book, I want it to reflect the hard work and sacrifice we have all put in. I want my daughters to say, “My mom is a Romance author.” And be proud.
Their sacrifice helps to fuel my desire to become a profitable author, so I can repay those missed days with some vacations and nice dinners as a thank you, even though I am well aware none of them expect any of that. They just want me to be happy.
MAKE SURE YOU FIND THE BLESSINGS IN LIFE:
As February comes to a close and we get ready to roll into March (my least favorite month), I am reminded that all these things I have talked about all month, the things that inspire me, are too the things that help get me through the good and not so good days. These are all my blessings.
I am not sitting here on the back of my gilded unicorn with rainbow glitter snot. I have lived my share of harsh times. I have worked through marriage issues, I have had two teen aged daughters at the same time, guaranteeing someone always hated me, regardless of the day or time, I was my mother’s care-giver for almost 10 years as she was wracked with dementia and then finally bone cancer. I left a profession I loved for 15 years because it had become an abusive environment for me. Life will suck the good out of you sometimes if you allow it to.
But you know what I’ve learned? I’ve had 46 years on this rock to learn these things BTW. There will never be a perfect time. If you have someone in your life telling you go for it; telling you they will pick up the slack, and that they will be there when you need a shoulder to cry on. You are lucky enough.
If you are able to have a hobby or a side-hustle you are working on and there are people there to help you and let you do you, then it is a blessing.
When I go to be every night, I thank God (you can thank the universe, or Mickey Mouse no judgement here) for the people he has given me to support me and guide me, and sometimes carry me along the way. If you can find one person you are lucky enough.
Who do you have that inspires you because of their support? Sign up for my newsletter and see what I’m up to in my writing and if I am having any giveaways or other fun things!
-Clair