Blog Love

Writing blog posts is something clients pay me to do. And I absolutely love doing it. The downside? Completely neglecting my own blog.

So – I promised my business coach in July that I’d re-start my blog in September. It seemed like a reasonable amount of time to come up with an idea worthy of the moment.

Silly me. The “moment” arrives. I sit in front of the computer, open a blank Word doc, and – nothin’.

After taking a deep breath, I start scrolling through photos on my phone. I have a habit of snapping pics of signs with words or phrases that strike my fancy. Maybe inspiration lurks in someone else’s words?

It doesn’t have to be NEW to be AWESOME.

Taken outside a vintage clothing shop in Frenchtown, NJ, this pretty much paraphrases the best advice I’ve ever gotten about writing. No matter what idea we come up with, it’s already been written about. A gazillion times. But not from our perspective or experience. And certainly not in our voice.

A blog post doesn’t have to be original to be awesome. Ideas are everywhere, and any idea worth stealing is worth writing about. Just focus on telling the stories that only you can tell.

Pocketbooks & Shoes

Why did this awning on Broad Street in Newark, NJ, catch my attention? I think it has to do with the word “pocketbooks.”

My mom called a handbag a pocketbook. The word evokes images of the closet where she kept her favorites {each with a tiny mirror and hankie tucked inside}. And on the occasion of buying me by first Coach bag, my dad saying, “If you’ve got a good pocketbook and good shoes, you’ll always be well dressed.”

Words have power. It’s why I’m such a pain in the ass when it comes to choosing the right ones to tell our stories.

Life is short. Buy the damn jewelry.

When I saw this sign inside a store in Southampton, NY, I wanted to tattoo the message on my forehead. It has nothing to do with spending irresponsibly. It’s about not waiting for the perfect occasion, or a better deal, or someone else, to give myself something that brings me joy. Or do something I’m passionate about.

Life is too short to wait for divine inspiration or the stars to align so we can write the perfect blog post. Before winning this year’s U.S. Open, Rafael Nadal was asked about his secret to being so successful over the 14 years since he won his first major tennis tournament. His reply: “It’s impossible to have a successful and long career if you don’t love what you do.”

I love words. I love what happens when they’re strung together. Let’s trust that if we love what we do, and write about THAT, the rest will take care of itself.