Yuletide Fuel

A kick up the ass guide to conquer resistance and write the damn book

What do you enjoy doing the most on Boxing Day?  

Did you manage to grab yourself a lazy lie in, or were you up with the larks getting the house prepped to host festive day 2 with your loved ones?

I’m just back from a long coastal hike with the ridgebacks, taking a moment to enjoy a coffee, with a cheeky dash of Baileys and stuffing my face with my mums amazing homemade shortbread. Bliss!

My plan this afternoon, is to get cosy on the sofa with a box of chocolates and dive into one of my Christmas books. I’m desperate to start reading 'The Daily Pressfield' written by one of my favourite writers Steven Pressfield.  It’s a brick of a book and a beacon for anyone needing a kick up ass with their dormant ambitions.  It’s like an accountability buddy if your plan is to write a book, crack on with a new project or launch a startup in 2024.

Steven promises that his 365 day publication will help me unlock my creative potential especially when procrastination or resistance sets in.  I was attracted to the The Daily Pressfield because it looks like a treasure trove of ideas for the day dreamers (me), the creators and the doers. 

I’m in the process of writing a couple of books - story of my life though - I’ve always got an idea of a book in me.  So many ideas but not enough dedication. This year I promised myself I’d finish writing the 'Rage on a Page Journal’ with the plan to self-publish in 2024.  Hmmm, I’ve managed to complete day 275, so I still have a fair way to go before completing the first draft.

The ‘Rage on a Page Journal’ will be a canvas for catharsis, a 365 day guide filled with therapeutic journaling prompts, which will guide readers through a passage of self-discovery and emotional release. It will become a pathway to transmute rage, sorrow and joy into something profound and positive. The Daily Pressfield is very much a timely publication to help me focus my mind when I prefer to daydream.

My second book is called 'The Ridgeback Diaries’ which is a memoir, a slice of my life about my experience of living with two ridgebacks since the pandemic.  This book is on hold at the moment due to ‘Rage on a Page’.  When I do commit to writing it, the story will hopefully put people off buying big dog breeds.  Especially those that have no experience of owing big dogs.  

My ‘WHY’ for writing ‘The Ridgeback Diaries’ is due to the fact there are far too many dog owners in the UK that feel out of the depth. Some of whom regret buying a big dog and sadly abandon their dogs or drop them off to a local dogs home.  It’s a really sad state of affairs.  The end of lockdown caused an avalanche of ‘pandemic pups’ being abandoned, sold or adopted on, and the cost-of-living crisis exacerbated the problem.

If I do manage to get my ass into gear, ‘The Ridgeback Diaries’ will highlight how hard it is to manage big dog breeds, especially if the dog becomes poorly, or they end up with behaviour problems.  Plus, I want to broadcast the spiralling costs of dog insurance, vet bills and boarding kennels. I’ve lived with dogs and horses most of my life, but honestly I’ve been really surprised how challenging and expensive it has become owning dogs. It’s no wonder we have a street dog issue across the world. According to a recent report by the RSPCA, there were over 81,000 incidents of abandoned or stray animals in the UK in 2020 alone, a 15% increase from the previous year.

So I best dive into my copy of ‘The Daily Pressfield’ and apply some of Steven Pressfields wisdom. Let me know which books you’re reading over the festive break and if you’re planning to write a memoir yourself.

Until the next time

Take care and stay safe xx