Dreams & Goals

13 Lessons From 13 Years of See Jane Write

Thirteen years. On March 24, 2011 – 13 years ago today – See Jane Write was born. The past 13 years have been filled with trials and triumphs, grief and gratitude but absolutely no regrets.

See Jane Write began as a meeting with a dozen women writers at a Mexican restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama. We talked about our writing dreams and the obstacles we faced while pursuing those goals. Two months later I hosted a workshop on how writers could use Twitter to elevate their writing careers and 40 women showed up. Shortly after that, I hosted a panel discussion on blogging, and 75 women showed up.

Much to the chagrin of my very frugal (but very supportive) husband, I continued to host See Jane Write events for two years paying for everything myself and not charging attendees a cent.  In 2013, for the sake of the Bowser bank account, See Jane Write became a bonafide business and is now See Jane Write LLC. The See Jane Write Collective – our paid membership community was created. I started offering courses and coaching, too. And instead of being a community only for women in Birmingham, we now have members across the country.

To celebrate See Jane Write becoming a teenager, yesterday I had a birthday brunch with some Birmingham-based Collective members. A time was had! We talked about marriage, motherhood, politics, the Royals, solo travel, college memories, writing (obviously) and so much more. We dreamed about renting a Barbie pink RV to travel cross-country and visit all the Janes in other cities.

I have so many dreams for the future of See Jane Write, but first I want to reflect on the past. I want to share 13 lessons I’ve learned during 13 years of See Jane Write.

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My Birthday Journaling Ritual

Today is my birthday, my own personal New Year. And tomorrow is the Lunar New Year, so it’s a day of new beginnings indeed.

But turning 43 is weird. It’s not a milestone age like 30, 40, or 50.

I can’t all it my Jackie Robinson year like last year or my Obama year like next year.

Turning 43 doesn’t feel special. It just feels old.

But then I remind myself that as a cancer survivor, each birthday is a milestone. And aging is a gift.

My birthday journaling rituals always help shift my perspective.

Here are the 3 things I journal about each birthday…

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Fresh Start February: 5 Ways to Begin Again

image via Facebook

Do you need this month to be Fresh Start February?

So often we enter the new year full of hopes and dreams, fueled by our goals and plans. We try to “hit the ground running” only to trip and fall flat on our faces.

If that sounds like you this year, give yourself some grace. Get up (or let someone help you up) and give yourself permission to start again. Give yourself permission to start slow. You don’t have to hit the ground running. Walking is just fine.

February is my birthday month, so it always feels like a fresh start for me. It’s like my own personal New Year. But you deserve a Fresh Start February too. Here’s how to give yourself the new beginning you need.

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The Best Planner for Writers

The best planner for writers is any planner that will help you achieve your writing goals. I always say the magic is in the planning, not the planner. And honestly, the planning is just half the battle. You must follow through to see any progress. But I’m a huge fan of the Day Designer planner because if you put it to use, it can help you not only make time to write but also design a life worth writing about.

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