Category: yestember

In the land of all things creative, when you are struggling to find the answer, keep looking.

I need to be completely honest here.

I did not even write one word for my next book ‘Yestember‘ in the month of March.

I read.

I grappled.

I thought.

I talked.

I listened.

But nothing on paper.

I collected other peoples stories (of which I am still needing 8 more)…

But I didn’t even write an opening sentence.

I found quotes.

I started a branding.

But no words.

See the problem I have, is that I am not interested in writing another cliche line, that disappoints and confuses those who are single.

I am not interested in publishing something that doesn’t help.

When I was single and especially over 30, I read some of the most appalling books, that I was so desperate to get answers from.

I don’t want to produce answers, I want to provoke questions.

I don’t want to give a 3 point sermon that frustrates and belittles.

I don’t even want to minimise or maximise the season.

I am trusting the struggle right now.

No struggle = no thought.

So essentially I failed March inspired majorly.

Like not even one word after 30 days.

But I am trusting the struggle and staying in this uncomfortable place.

What struggle are you having to produce something great?

Stay in that place of restlessness until you breakthrough to that new place of promise.

Speak tomorrow.

Struggle town.

Amanda

This morning I found a little note tucked inside my bible from one of my best friends. She lives in New Zealand and the last little season has been a big one for all of us.

This note said this;

‘I get a sense of a yacht on the open water, sails trimmed, voyage ready = a fresh wind rising to carry you on your way. As your friend I pray that in the midst of all you do for others you would continue to nurture and value yourself. You are very precious and very much loved.’

The letter goes on with words that are deep nourishment for my soul.

We all need words.

Especially in times of stretch and seasons of doubt.

I found my years as a single woman, overwhelming, fearful, exciting, brilliant, purposed and so much more. If I knew what I do know now though, I would have been profoundly impacted and lived with more emancipation. What if I could have read a letter that was written in retrospect? Would that have helped me break the shackles and live beyond today.

To dream.

To live emancipated beyond all the doubts?

I am looking for 14 more people to write a letter to themselves before they were married.

We all learn lessons with retrospect that as a young adult we wish that we had have overcome.

A simple letter, that encourages, that speaks life, that shares the lessons learnt. The only framework, at some point write your age now and your age when you got married.

Here is one of my favourites that has come in so far.

Dear single self,

You are a child of wonder and untapped creativity, adventure and strength.

Do not be in such a hurry to grow up and become someone’s wife. Find out who you are, explore the world, explore people, taste from a wide range of cups.

Travel – please get on a plane and go somewhere!!!

Let go – stop trying to control every aspect of your life and just let some things happen and GO WITH IT.

Stop trying to always do the right thing. Sometimes there is no such thing as the right thing, the right time or Mr Right…. There could be a Mr Right-Now – who you will miss because you are so busy looking for Mr Right.

Find out about you – there is so much to you – you don’t need another half, you are whole on your own.

Learn a language, read books, take cooking classes.

Learn to paint, Spend more time at the ocean, it feeds your soul.

Spend money on shoes.  Enjoy the wide variety of people on this planet. Find out who makes you excited, who makes you laugh, who makes you think, who makes you feel beautiful. Enjoy all the experiences presented to you without worrying about the future. Enjoy yourself with a wide range of different people. They will bring out different things in you – many of which you may not have known you had. Let yourself be loved by others, and love others. Maybe have your heart broken and rebuilt. It will give you strength.

Cherish yourself. Love yourself, enjoy you. Feel whole. Feel complete. Life does not begin when you are married. Life is now. Enjoy every minute.

Being married is only one path and to take that path you give up many others. Once you are married and then a mother, you limit many things and experiences. You love being both, but your world reduces, so enjoy the wide open spaces of being single. Live life to the fullest, capture each day and find out what an amazing, beautiful, strong, creative and intelligent woman you are.

Realise that the man you marry is very, very lucky to have you.

I love you.

S

I’d love to have your cherished words as a part of this journey.

All my love

Amanda

Starting from today, I have a new framework for my blog.

Let’s see where this journey takes us.

Some days you just need to get on with it and say yes.

I begun writing and kinda having a go at the first draft of the design elements for Yestember. I got some feedback from my husband on the byline ‘a 30 day guided journal for singles’ and he told me he hated it.

Back to the drawing board.

That nearly put me off writing for the whole day.

Derailed on the first go.

I laughed, sent a text to a girlfriend and got back on the horse.

I ended the day so excited because I had begun something I have been thinking about for months, I put it out here in cyberspace, (which brings an accountability) and then 10 people wrote letters to compliment and inspire me towards this journey.

I need 20 more people to write me a letter: here are the details (click this photo link)

 

As I continue on my March Inspired Journey. It’s not too late… to join the fun.

See you tomorrow.

Comment below and tell me how your first day went.

XXOO

Amanda

If you would like to write a letter to yourself now and submit, you can do so here…