Journal - Embracing Change: My Journey Through the Past Year.

Upside down and inside out

Dear Journal,

It's been quite a ride. The past year has been nothing short of chaotic, with unexpected twists and turns that left me reeling more often than not. If anyone looks through my posts, they'll notice that I've done nothing on this platform since June of 2023. Well, it's time to catch you up on the whirlwind that has been my life.

Ups & Downs

I've hit rough patches unlike any other. I've faced loss—of family members, the pain of saying goodbye to a pet, but also the warmth of welcoming a new furry companion into my home. Change was inevitable, and it came in all forms. While the lows seemed endless, there were flickers of light in the darkness.

A Glimmer of Hope

In the chaos, I've pushed ahead. Didn't want to, but I did. The harder I pushed, the more I achieved. My second book, 'A Feast of Stones,' has made its way into the hands of beta readers. I cannot wait to have this book out there! As I get my notes back from beta readers, I'll be making my final revisions. Then it's off to editing and publishing. I can't wait to unveil it in the coming months.

I've also taken control over my physical health, and I am feeling the best I have felt in probably ten years! Getting a puppy and realizing I needed to keep up with him or he'd eat the house had a profound effect. I still have more to do to be where I want to be, but I am well on the way!

A Renewed Joy of Writing

I'm knee-deep in the first draft of Book Three, and the words are flowing. I don't recall the last time I wrote this much in such a short period of time—if I ever have. A few months ago, I didn't wanna touch my laptop. Now, I can't stop. I am loving it in a way that I haven't loved it in YEARS.

Embracing Change

Many told me that I'd weather the storm, that life would go on when I was at my lowest. I couldn't see it. I doubted it. Wholeheartedly. "Life might go on, but will this pain ever go away?" I'm being a bit vague about some of the details because they are mine to keep. Even in a journal, I can't make myself write them down.

But those people were right. Here I am, slowly but surely growing and learning to live my new normal. Life is a journey through peaks and valleys, and the only way is forward. I am determined to seize each moment and make the most of the adventures that lie ahead.

What's Next

Okay, time to say stuff and then be held accountable for doing it! I pledge to update things around here more regularly. Stay tuned for insights into my writing process, snippets of my upcoming works, and the occasional musings from a writer who is flailing about and figuring it out as he goes. Also, something something social media. Ugh. I'M LEARNING!

Here's to the future, to endless possibilities, and to the beauty of embracing change.

I've come up with a new motto for my writing over the last few weeks: "Create boldly, revise fearlessly." Let's do this.

Edward