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Posts Tagged ‘#blogboost’

The Cult of Self-Employment

Red Pen, pad of paper and a cup of coffeeHappy October! I’m excited to be taking on another Ultimate Blog Challenge, UBC, for short. This challenge encourages bloggers like me to post for 31 days straight and post them on social media. I prefer posting and sharing my blogs over Facebook rather than Twitter/X because I do not like that platform. I also ask that people not share my posts on LinkedIn because some things I write about are not for that audience.

Another essential part of the challenge is commenting on at least two other blogs that other UBC participants wrote. You can find them by searching for #UBC or #blogboost on Facebook, Twitter, or sometimes Instagram. This online writing community is friendly and supportive, and I love being a part of our quarterly writing adventure. I also encourage you to comment on my posts. It helps to know that someone out there is reading them, and I’m not just writing to myself! 😆

I will do my best to post daily, but as a card-carrying member of The Cult of Self-Employment, I may occasionally stray from the challenge.

What is the Cult of Self-Employment? I’m so glad you asked! I signed up back in March after launching my own digital marketing business called Red Pen Resources. I was initially lured into this cult by the promise of casual Mondays through Fridays. I was also provided with an incredible community of talented people who want to focus on their clients’ goals rather than office drama and politics. And when I learned about the freedom to follow my own creative instincts instead of sitting in endless meetings, I memorized the secret handshake, gave blood and urine, and here I am!

Upon initiation, I received a welcome swag bag, which included a ring light, a portable phone charger, a gift card to a local coffee shop, and my choice of fuzzy socks or slippers.

From the moment I joined the Cult of Self-Employment, I felt enlightened, empowered, and enthralled with this new way of life. You could say that I saw the light, and it wasn’t fluorescent.

I traded hanging out aimlessly by the water cooler for standing with purpose at networking events. With a coffee cup in hand, business cards in my pocket, and a 30-second commercial ready to go, I immediately fit right in. The other “cult members” are extremely generous with their time and resources. We cheer each other on and offer excellent advice. The occasional venting session takes place only in small groups and is permitted, but not required. We refer each other to members and non-members who need our talents and skills. In essence, the Cult of Self-Employment embraces a “go-giver/go-getter” personality and treasures business relationships that often turn into friendships.

Another benefit is a flexible schedule that allows me to go food shopping on a Tuesday afternoon or rearrange appointments to deal with the occasional family emergency. I also make time for professional development that doesn’t need prior approval. I place a high value on learning from others through webinars and conferences or just over breakfast and exchanging shared experiences.

The best part of my schedule is never having to justify taking off for a mental health day or a Jewish holiday.

There are a few downsides. Cabin fever and loneliness are occupational hazards, but I surround myself with others who work from home and get together for lunch or over Zoom. The only negative I’ve experienced so far is achieving that elusive work/life balance. I thought self-employment would be the solution to finding those moments of Zen. Alas, my home office beckons me to sit down and keep working, and she can be insistent about it! I have faced this challenge by prioritizing the projects that need immediate attention so I can complete them and feel accomplished. But, sometimes it doesn’t work and I miss out on a TV show or a blog post.

And yes, there are times when I need to work nights, but I am passionate about what I do and helping my clients succeed, so it really doesn’t feel like work at all.

All in all, joining the Cult of Self-Employment has been a game-changer, and I’ve never been happier. No need to save me now, I’m all in!

Are you a member of this cult? What do you love about running your own business, and what do you find most challenging? Let me know in the comments.

XO,

Elisa

Top 5 Ways to Fix a Reading Slump

I met up with a friend at a nearby store the other day, and she said, “I knew it was you because I saw you reading your book.” Guilty as charged.

Right now, I’m on a pretty good reading streak. I’m picking up one book after another, DNF-ing the ones I don’t want to read, and selecting titles that I already own instead of buying new ones. But there have been plenty of times that I’ve gotten in a bit of a slump. A slump is a bit like burnout for avid readers. We want to read but just can’t for any number of reasons – daily distractions, errands to run, or things like your day job. And then, when we sit down to read, we can’t relax and enjoy it. Instead, we lose our reading mojo and wonder if we will ever get it back.

Here are some things I do to spark my interest in reading again.

  1. Try a new genre – Sometimes, I need to change things up a bit by reading a completely different type of book. I switch from fiction to nonfiction. Or I sink my teeth into a juicy celebrity tell-all. (Brat-Pack movie star Andrew McCarthy just came out with a new one, and I can’t wait to buy it!) I will even try out a YA (young adult) novel. A brand new generation of YA writers has made a good impression on me, like Rainbow Rowell and Angie Thomas.
  2.  Go to the library or bookstore – Shopping online is perfect when I know what book (or, in my case, books 🙂 ) I want, but sometimes I need to put myself in the right atmosphere to select my next read. Next time you are in a slump, stroll through the aisles and look at the titles to see what jumps out at you. Ask the librarian or bookstore owner to make some recommendations too!
  3. Download a book on your phone – For a while, I was a HUGE book snob and considered listening to a book in my car, not really reading. But I was 100% wrong. I’ve discovered that it takes just as much concentration to listen to a story in my car as it does to sit down and read an actual book. And when a book is well-narrated, it can spark your imagination and entertain you in a whole new way.
  4. Read a short story – The last thing I want to do when I’m in a slump is pick up the latest 500-page novel and force myself to read it. I’d much rather prefer choosing some wonderful short story collections or essays. A few that come to mind are written by David Sedaris or Lisa Scottoline, but there are so many good ones out there. Take your pick!
  5. Don’t sweat the slump – Finally, maybe you just aren’t in the mood to read, and that’s completely fine too. Take some time off. Clean out a closet, binge-watch a show on Netflix or start a jigsaw puzzle. When you are ready to pick up a book again, you will do it with newfound enthusiasm.

What do you do when you are in a reading slump?

The April Book Report

I used to look forward to packing my weekends with people to see and places to go, but thanks to COVID, I’m delighted with quieter Saturdays and Sundays. After a busy week at work, all I want to do is curl up on the sofa with my favorite blanket and a good book. Luckily, I used my downtime wisely because April was another busy month of reading.

Today, I have three books to review – I thoroughly enjoyed one of them. I managed to finish another, but sadly one might land in the dreaded DNF (did not finish) pile. It is rare for me to add a book to the DNF list, but it is one of those books that I had high hopes for, but it just isn’t doing it for me. But let’s get to the good ones first!

As a side note, I do not receive any commission if you buy a book from these links. All I ask is that you consider buying the book from your local independent bookstore. Amazon has enough of our hard-earned money, don’t you think?

Writers and Lovers by Lily King

Writers and Lovers paperback bookIt was the opening scene that hooked me into this book right away. Casey’s landlord catches her outside and peppers her with intrusive questions about her book. And then, he has the nerve to say the most obnoxious thing that no writer wants to hear. “I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say.”  I wanted to slap him. Once I have someone to root for in a book, the story has my complete and undivided attention. Casey is a writer and a waitress who is dealing with the grief of losing her mother and juggling her feelings for two men – all while trying to get a book published. I loved the details of her writing process and her posse of supporters that have her back. I finished this book in less than a week. Whether you are a writer or not, this is one novel to add to your TBR pile.

The Power of Writing Things Down by Allison Fallon

I picked up this book because I enjoy receiving the author’s weekly emails on writing. She is a reliable source of excellent prompts when I can’t think of anything to write about in my blog. I also enjoyed her recent webinar on how to write a memoir. I thought her book would be equally brilliant. Honestly, I finished the book but can’t remember if I learned anything – which means I probably didn’t. Not because she isn’t a wonderful speaker and writing coach – but because I’ve read too many other books on writing, and she wasn’t saying anything I hadn’t heard before. This made me realize that maybe I need to stop buying so many books about writing and just sit my ass down and write! 🙂 If someone is a new writer, I think this book has a lot to offer and is a good place to start. But, if you are someone like me who has been doing this for a while and has read writing books from Anne Lamott, Stephen King, and others of that caliber – this might not be the right fit for you. But, her Monday Motivation emails are superb.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

When I buy a book, I’m pretty committed to reading it – maybe not right away – as noted by the size of my TBR pile. But I will get around to it. I was so excited about this book because I love libraries. If independent bookstores are my guilty pleasure, libraries are a safe haven to explore new genres and authors without buying the books. This particular book is a nonfiction account of the largest library fire in the United States. It happened in Los Angeles, and there are a lot of unanswered questions. But instead of drawing me into the big mystery, I’m reading more about the ins and outs of library systems and how they operate. Maybe the mystery is still in there somewhere – but after about 50 or so pages – I’ve lost interest, and I’m tired of waiting for the juicy part.  So, I’m going to put it aside for now and pick it up at another time.

No time to waste, my next new read is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’ll review it in my May book report.

What book did you read in April? Have you ever DNF-ed a book? Which one and why?

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