Writing Projects

I came back from my conference with a new dedication to my writing project. I’m marrying the two things I love most:  running and books. I’ve got a new perspective, a reworked outline, and the start of a chapter…since Monday. As one of the presenters said, when your passion and purpose meet, you find your voice. Very true!

What with the busy conference schedule and the high energy activities (hey, it takes a lot of energy to network and extend yourself. I think running a marathon can be more relaxing), I found no time to run while I was in Dallas. Except Saturday afternoon. I’d just finished up the publishing seminar, which was at once inspiring and overwhelming, when I had the distinct feeling that I was on knowledge and people overload. I had to do something physical and outside or my head was going to explode.

I had some time from approximately 3:30–5:30, so I changed into running gear and found the outdoor 1/4 mile loop. Naturally, I was out there alone.

It was hot, I was full of less that optimal food and beverage, and, after three full days stuck inside, thoroughly acclimated to the subarctic temperatures in the hotel. So I walked a mile, ran a bit more than a mile, and then walked another mile. It wasn’t until after I’d run the mile that I felt everything within me sort of relax and sigh and let go. I had some alone time in the hotel room as I got ready for the Austin chapter dinner that night. All of it was so much more refreshing than a nap; I joined the group at 6:30 feeling like a whole new woman.

And it was a fabulous dinner. Yes, the food was great, but I’m talking about the company and the connections with people that I made. The conversation ranged all over the place. I was saying something about why I love trail running, describing what it feels like to be out on the trail by myself with nature, when the woman next to me said, “That makes me feel like this is something I ought to try.” And she’s not even a runner. She helped me to see that my strength is in telling my stories and making my everyday experiences an inspiration to other people who might like to do what I do. And that gave me a springboard; I’d been thinking about my “how to” book in totally the wrong way.

And with that conversation and realization, my passion and my purpose have met. It’s so exciting!