A Much-Needed Change of Direction
As she should, my coach pushes me to get out of my own way. In other words step out of my comfort zone, or to be honest, take a swan dive straight out of the cozy nest I’ve built for myself. Her latest push is to help me gain experience and new skills with opt-ins and a small self-publishing project. I’m not going to share the details here, as it would spoil the surprise, but suffice it to say, I’m going where I’ve never gone before.
The newest path I’m forging on my scatter diagram of a road map was instigated by the recent facelift Linda gave my website. That I’ve been needing this for awhile goes without saying, but the changes still didn’t come easily.
In the first place, my previous web designer chose a blogger’s template for my theme, so a lot of the necessary changes gave Linda some fits, not to mention hours on the phone with tech support. My own resistance to some of the changes we had to make didn’t help. Not so much because I didn’t want to make them, but because I didn’t understand what they involved or why they were necessary.
Getting a Facelift
Linda was patient and helped me navigate the new and poorly marked roads until, between 
us, we got the copy we needed (me), and a professional-looking format (her). Still, my addiction to plug-ins gave us yet another challenge when we looked at the site on our mobile devices. With a lot of help from Elegant Themes tech support, Linda figured that one out as well.
If you haven’t yet seen my new look, be sure to check out my updated Home page and tell me what you think. Push the big red buttons, and visit some of the pages you’ll find in the drop down menu. In my opinion, Linda is the ultimate stylist and made me look pretty darn good!
A new and improved website raises the bar on my own expectations too. Not only do I expect it to work for me, I expect to work on the areas where I want to expand, learning new things, trying out new projects and formats. How else do I learn, but to stretch those wings of mine a little further than I have so far, and see how far they’ll take me beyond what I’ve safely traveled so far on my journey?
New Adventures: Excitement and Trepidation
I don’t know about you, but a new adventure makes me both excited and nervous. It’s not the possibility of failure I fear. That could be expected. I’ve fallen and picked myself up too many times over the years to fear falling again. My biggest fear is that this will all blow up into such a rousing success, I’ll have to start hiring help and getting a bit more structured with my time in order to meet commitments and expectations. (A wonderful problem to have, but fraught with its own perils.)
Again, I’ve tackled challenges and succeeded many times over the course of my careers, so the probability I’ll fall short is a small one. Even if I did, I know from experience I’d do everything in my power to make up the difference. Besides, I love working on projects and facing new challenges. Even so, there’s a tiny voice inside me which whispers what if you let someone down? Even though I know it’s not my nature to do so.
It’s a lot like the first time I had to break up with a guy. It hurt me more than it hurt him. I felt responsible for not being able to love him the way he deserved to be loved. I feel equally responsible for ensuring my clients get exactly what they expect, and often more. It’s taken me a few bumps and scrapes to learn to do that for myself as well.
The changes I’ll be making in the next few months will again be for myself, and as such, I will struggle with prioritizing my own needs. I do, however, find it easier when I recognize every new project I take on will teach me something new and in some way, simplify my life. My clients will benefit from the new knowledge as much as I. If nothing else, I’ll gain confidence as I broaden my skill set.
Embracing the Writing Community
I talk to other writers, copywriters, and ghostwriters more and more often these days. We 
exchange ideas, ask each others’ opinions on our websites and various aspects of our businesses. It’s a supportive group where everyone is aware there’s enough work for all of us. The hardest part is getting the momentum going with a clear message and understanding of our own market.
Some are amazing with sales copy or the short blurbs you see on Social Media. Others have mastered all there is to know about creating and publishing eBooks. Even those who like me, excel at long-form copy, write on topics I’ve yet to tackle, and some I may never try. (If your business is sports- or beauty-related, I’ll probably refer you to someone who knows that field better than me. Those topics are not where I shine.)
What’s great about this industry is our willingness to pass a job on to someone else rather than fumble around in an area we’ve yet to breach. That’s not to say I’m not willing to do some research and learn more about an area I’ve only touched upon up to now. I’m not to proud to admit some topics would take more time and effort than the project was worth to bring me up to speed. I’d rather pass it on to an expert and give them the opportunity to pass me projects on topics they’re less comfortable with.
Using My Tools as I Add New Lessons
As it is, a lot of my time is spent learning new things, whether it’s processes, techniques, or skills which will come in handy somewhere down the line. The only thing I won’t do, nor should I, is stay in one place. I don’t like stagnating, and there are so many things to learn, I’m often a kid in a candy shop trying to decide what to take on next! The real challenge is seeing one thing through before moving onto something else, but I’ve found tools and techniques to help me stay on task
I’ve become pretty dependent on two tools in particular: Trello, and Google Calendar. By coordinating the two, I stay on track with everything from client work to personal goals, to progress on my own writing projects. Without them, my propensity to jump around from task to task would have me starting many and finishing none. With them, I’ve upscaled my blog posting from 2 posts to 3 per week, and from pre-scheduling 2 weeks ahead to 3 (and soon, 4).
I use my tools to give structure to a life which would, left to its own devices, be in constant chaos. Though I thrive on a certain amount of chaos, I find a little structure is necessary not only to reach my professional and personal goals, but to manage the stress which inevitably filters into my life. A few years ago, I’d have denied I needed structure. In those days, I had it without recognizing it; a day job, set hours, specific nights to dance, and times to run errands. Slowly but surely, much of that structure eroded, beginning with the day job, and it’s been an uphill climb to create a new structure around my dramatically altered life.
Now that I’ve created a workable structure for myself, taking new leaps out of my comfort zone are actually easier and less stressful. I don’t have an already insurmountable load which would unbalance should I add another straw to my camel’s back. I’m able to embrace change and new lessons with childish glee and less concern over where I’ll find the time, or fit it into my current work load. I can see at a glance what I need to shift or where I need to become more efficient. Best of all, it feels great to learn new things and get more done at the same time.
Increasing Efficiency Through Outsourcing
Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone? Do you feel like there’s not enough space in your day to take the leap? Would taking a task or two off your plate make it easier to invest in your own growth? Maybe it’s content creation, or perhaps it’s getting your books in order and creating a budget. If you’re ready to streamline your life and give yourself space to grow and thrive, CONTACT ME and let’s talk!
About the Author
Sheri Conaway is a writer, blogger, ghostwriter, and an advocate for cats, and mental health. Sheri 
believes in the Laws of Attraction, but only if you are a participant rather than just an observer. Her mission is to Make Vulnerable Beautiful and help entrepreneurs touch the souls of their readers and clients so they can increase their impact and their income. If you’d like to have her write for you, please visit her Hire Me page for more information. You can also find her on Facebook Sheri Levenstein-Conaway Author. And check out her new group, Putting Your Whole Heart Forward.
Be sure to watch this space for news of the upcoming release of ” Rebuilding After Suicide”.
