Can you say FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!

Last week I felt I had it all figured out. I even posted yesterday about my 3 month focus and my goals. Then yesterday I was once again confronted with the reality that no one thinks I should just focus on my writing. Do I suck that bad? Even though it makes me wonder, I know it’s not really that. As my best friend said to me, it’s more about the fact that people don’t really understand why I would take my years of education and my already moderate success at consulting and trade it in for the unknown of selling fiction books and my Chiczofrenic platform. Because I want to doesn’t seem to be a satisfying response for many. Why do I even care? Probably because of my own insecurities of the writing gig. There is safety in what you know and I have a lot of student loans and a piece of paper that says I’m an expert. Why don’t I just do it all? Because I have tried that juggling act of doing a million different things and while I managed it for a while I burnt out and just don’t want to go down that road again.
Now with all that said there is some validity to what people say so maybe I should try to “figure it out”.
A blog post I re-read today by Chris Guillebeau has helped me put some of those negative thoughts about following my dream rather than my skill, back down where they belong. There is no room for doubt.
Today I will focus on building success….you do the same!
Laina

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I am sure faced with that challenge I could find somewhere to put it. I mean really…couldn’t you?? This quote makes me think about this weekend when I went to Macy’s and found a pair of jeans that looked incredible on me. Yet they were $150.00 and although I wanted them badly, I couldn’t justify spending that much even if they did make me look fantastic.

However, I do want everything and why not? Shouldn’t I have all that I want? I believe that I should as should everyone. I have posted a lot on here about feeling like I have all these different paths to follow and how it has been difficult to figure out who to be and when. My dream is to be a writer (that makes money writing) and build myself as my brand through writing, speaking, and Chiczofrenic. So to focus on that direction I am taking a 3 month sabbatical from my business of business and focusing solely on selling Stilettos & Scoundrels and promoting Chiczofrenic. I can’t tell you how exciting it is and how I am a bit fearful. What if it doesn’t work? But it will. I know I can do it.

Here are my goals for the next 3 months which the defining end date is my birthday June 7th, 2010. I want to start small and focus on the month of April. By the end of April I want to have the following:

1. 100 people following my blog
2. sell 500 Stilettos & Scoundrels books
3. have 500 members on Chiczofrenic

Each week I will post and update on this blog to stay accountable and keep everyone informed. I am thrilled for finally following this direction and I look forward to reaching all my goals and having your support each step of the way.

Cheers-
Laina

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I was searching for some fun quotes and came across this one and many others that just had me laughing. You can find a huge list at thinkexist.com and I will keep sharing here.

Wouldn’t it be nice if stupidity could get us out of the messes we created using it? I mean WOW life would be great. For me anyways. But if I objectively think about it isn’t stupidity what can sometimes help us be better people? Do we beat ourselves up too much over making stupid mistakes or trusting people and being vulnerable? Do we do things that cause regret. Not because of a intentionally bad decision but one that maybe we weren’t thinking clearly about? If only all decisions were clear right before we actually made them. What would happen then? Would we be better off or not for making only good decisions.

No idea here but would love your opinion.
Laina

Happy Monday everyone. Multiple Sclerosis awareness week is upon us. If you aren’t clear as to what MS really is then you can help the cause by taking a few minutes and learning. Basically, it is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Here are a few more facts:

1. Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects woman more than men.

2. MS is caused by damage to the myelin sheath, the protective covering that surrounds nerve cells. When this nerve covering is damaged, nerve impulses are slowed down or stopped.

3. MS is a progressive disease, meaning the nerve damage (neurodegeneration) gets worse over time.

4. The nerve damage is caused by inflammation. Inflammation occurs when the body’s own immune cells attack the nervous system.

5. Researchers are not sure what triggers the inflammation. The most common theories point to a virus or genetic defect, or a combination of both.

6. MS is more likely to occur in northern Europe, the northern United States, southern Australia, and New Zealand than in other areas. Geographic studies indicate there may be an environmental factor involved.

This week I will continue to share some small nuggets about MS and encourage you to learn and support the cause.

Go ORANGE!

I’m not talking about the table I am currently sitting at in Dunkin Donuts (and not to veer off topic but YUM their coffee is good) but rather being caught somewhere between thinking and feeling and not sure which direction I want to go more. Why is being a grown up so complicated?

All that confusion aside I was able to get a lot done today and feel good. Didn’t get to the almost 1000 emails I have in my inbox but all in all a good day. I will be starting a nationwide blog tour at the end of March with Nikki Leigh, author and blog tour promoter extrordiarre. Check out her books and marketing skills at Nikki Leigh.

Off to write at least 500 more words!
Peace-
Laina

Psssst – if you are following this blog and just randomly stumbled across it please rss feed it. I have a goal to build my follower base. If I meet it I can treat myself to a new pair of shoes. Please help me:)

I’m referring to the take care of yourself statement I made yesterday. I mean I started my day out to you all saying how that was something you had to first and foremost and yet after about 5 minutes I threw that out the window and started doing for someone else. I supposed I could go on about how altruistic that is and I am such a good person. But the fact is that I’m not. Usually I think “what’s in it for me” and the fact that at this moment in time it would be a big fat ZERO has me pondering.

While I’m thinking about that dilemma I do want to share with you my moderately successful start with book sales. I have been selling a lot out of the back of my car which is kind of fun and a few over the internet. I thought the Kindle would be selling a little more but I prefer actual books so maybe other folks do too?

Are you struggling with what you are doing versus what you want to do? I would love to hear about it.
Laina

PS don’t forget MS awareness week starts next week!

I love March because I feel it is the home stretch to spring. Though I am a bit sad because today my baby girl turned 4 and she is so quickly growing up. How does that happen?
I spent time this weekend thinking about purpose. Purpose in what I am doing and why I am doing it. I know that in many areas of my life I tend to gravitate toward the nearest shiny object and while that has always worked for me for the most part, it’s also kept me so busy with a million balls in the air that I feel with more purpose I can have a little more breathing room to enjoy more down time.
Part of being able to have purpose, and therefore focus on what is really important, is to not lose sight of yourself Ensure you are being fulfilled and not making your purpose about someone else. I think that sometimes can be hard. We have people in our life we want to take care of and want to do things for and it is so easy to do that at the expense of who you are and what you want. But that’s not good for you or the other person. There needs to be that balance.
So here’s to purpose and focus and taking care of you!
Cheers-
Laina

As defined by Webster’s
1. To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort.
2. To cooperate treasonably, as with an enemy occupation force in one’s country.

If I am to understand this definition correctly it basically means to work together. If you’re enemies then it means working together for opposite outcomes. What it doesn’t mean, in any form, is to give the other person your ideas and let them choose which ones they like. Or does it? Wouldn’t that be considered a dictatorship? Am I missing something here? Please, please tell me if I have got this all wrong.

I won’t deny that I can be difficult but surely I don’t have this meaning wrong.

Anyways on to brighter things. Have a great day all!!!!
Laina

Have you ever done something thinking you were being unselfish and doing the “right” thing only to have it end up being 10 times worse and to realize that you weren’t being perceived as ever doing the right thing in the first place? How does that happen?? Bad judgment or just poor communication of expectations? Whatever I guess. I’m not going to worry about it. It just strikes me as funny because of trying so hard for nothing.

Moving on…tomorrow is the first release party for Stilettos & Scoundrels at the Rainmakers Main Event. I have another one scheduled for March 10th at N. Rue in Broad Ripple and am working on several others (including the DSW at Clay Terrace). Exciting stuff. Now I’m trying to balance the selling with finishing the business book and writing the next Presley Thurman book. Never enough time in the day. How do you all balance everything without getting burnt out?

Don’t forget that MS Awareness week starts March 8th and we are building pre-awareness now! Purchasing my book prior to march 8th will send 20% of proceeds to the MS Society.
Have a great Monday!
Laina

Come to the release for Stilettos & Scoundrels at the Rainmakers Main Event. 20% of all proceeds from this event will go to the Indiana MS Society. The will be a member of the Indiana MS Society in attendance to answer any questions as we get close to the kick off of MS Awareness week March 8th.

If you can’t make it there will be other events or buy the book online at www.lainamolaski.com. Also available on Kindle. 20% of all online purchases prior to March 1st will benefit MS.