Hello dear students!

I have a “riddle” (and a story) for you. :)

What do a space heater, a bus pass, a grocery store gift card, and a handyman have to do with succeeding as a writer? Keep reading to find out, and to get access to a free special challenge I created for you.

My Lame Excuse

As another cold front moved in, I hunkered down beneath the warmth of my comforter, as I tried to think of a good excuse for skipping church. On top of the cold, an especially bad bout with winter depression weighed me down, and I wasn’t sure I had the strength to fight, much less win that battle.

I was tempted to stay home, until I remembered I had promised to bring a space heater to church for a low-income man who was struggling with the cold. That sense of obligation won out over my flimsy excuses, so I took a deep breath, poured myself a big cup of coffee, and reached for my clothes.

From Darkness into Light

I wish I could say that I had a spring in my step as I walked across the icy church parking lot, but my mood matched the dark, cloudy sky.

Then it happened. Within minutes of walking in to the warmth of the sanctuary, I began to see the purpose for being there, a purpose that went far beyond just the space heater. Here are just a few of the unexpected things that happened that Sunday:

A book of bus tickets given to a woman who had just gotten out of jail. Due to having a suspended license, she can’t drive, and needed bus tickets to look for a job and get to appointments.
A grocery store gift card given to a low-income man on disability
Raiding the food pantry for a hungry homeless man that wandered in off the streets
Connecting a handyman in the church with a person with no money to fix a broken dryer (with an arrangement for the church to handle the cost)

All I Had to Do Was Show Up

All of those things mattered a lot to the people in need, and none of them required a lot of effort on my part. They required just one thing. All I had to do was show up. The rest was easy.

Your Words Matter

Now maybe people don’t depend on you for food, space heaters, or bus tickets. But we all have something others need – our words.

Let that sink in for a minute. Your words matter. I personally don’t believe in coincidences, and if you’re reading my words, that’s an indicator to me that you needed to read this today.

I Understand the Battle

Trust me, I understand the battle that rages and fights against your desire to write. You have so much else to do in work and life that when you think of writing, you feel such time pressure.

You want to write, but you’re not sure you have the strength to push aside everything else weighing you down.

But here’s the deal. All you have to do is show up. In the same way that I had all the resources I needed to meet those needs that Sunday morning, you’re already equipped with the words that others need to read.

Take the First Step

Don’t allow overwhelm to get the best of you. Stop thinking about how you’re going to tackle the big task of blogging consistently or finally writing that book.

All you have to do is take the first step. Write those first words. One little word at a time is all it takes to progress as a writer, and it all starts by showing up.

Join the Free 7-Day 15-Minute Writing Challenge!

If you want to write but are pressed down by the weight of time pressure, feel that you have too many other things to do in work and life, or struggle with self-doubt due to critical words spoken to you, I’d like to cordially invite you to crush those obstacles by joining the free 7-day, 15-minute writing challenge.

15 minutes a day, for 7 days. That’s all you need to start a breakthrough in your writing.

Click here to join the free 15-Minute Writing Challenge.

I can’t wait to write alongside you.

Cheering you on,

Rebecca Livermore

P.S. Each day of the challenge you’ll get an email with an assignment that will take only 15 minutes. By the end of the 7-day challenge you’ll be well on your way to establishing a writing habit that will move you closer to accomplishing your writing dreams, even if you have limited time to write. It’s free. Click here to get started.

Rebecca Livermore

Microsoft Office for Creatives

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