Practicing Hope When Times Are Gloomy

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs;
ask yourself what makes you come alive.
And then go and do that. Because what the world needs

are people who have come alive.”
– Dr. Howard Thurman, Author,
Philosopher and Civil Rights Leader

In Issue #139

Practicing Hope When Times Are Gloomy
by Krista Jones

This weekend I turned on the six o’clock news. Within minutes it reaffirmed the reasons why I’m not a fan of watching those broadcasts…

The U.S. dollar is falling. Unemployment is at a two-year high. Retail sales are slumping. The housing market is the worst it’s been in years. And gas prices are above $3 a gallon…still.

With the odds growing that the U.S. economy will slip into a recession, is it really a good time for Monica and me to cut back on our successful freelance careers? Or for you to try to build a new one?

Depends on your perspective.

Even though the economy is shaky, I am full of hope. Hope for new writing opportunities. Hope for new business prospects. Hope that each of the things I listed above will improve.

I like writing about self-help and business opportunities for a living. I love working in my quiet home. I love being able to make my own schedule. And, this one came as a surprise to me, I adore the creation process.

Publishing will give me the opportunity to create things that make me come alive. To develop the ideas that keep me up at night and wake me early the next morning.

So I’m trading fear of failure for a chance at success. In spite of our current economic condition. And I’m not the only one.

I know three people with six-figure careers who are doing everything they can to switch gears to do the work that lights them up.

And members of my Protégé mentoring group are gearing up for big changes too. One cut back on her hours at work to give her more time to pursue her copywriting career. Another is starting his own advertising firm. One lady is becoming a publisher.

I also know a handful of people who are clinging to their miserable jobs (they call it that, not me) until the ship goes down.

I’m grateful I haven’t had to seriously consider putting my publication goals on hold until the economy turns around.

If you’ve gotten your career rolling, maybe you feel the same way.

If you’re currently in a bad situation, well, that’s okay too. You’re in the right place. Don’t run away from it.

I’ve learned that the more I try to ignore a problem, the bigger it becomes. Like when I was getting married years ago and my insides kept telling me not to go through with it. I pushed the warnings down, got married, and ended up filing for divorce less than two years later.

These days I’m getting better at staying present and touching the rawness of the experience. That’s where I learn what the situation is there to teach me. And it’s when I’m able to make my life not only a mirror or what is, but also a reflection of what can be.

If you’re in a negative space, try the following…

Rather than wanting the situation to be different than it is, connect with it. Learn from it and then imagine something better. A transformation will occur. I promise you.

Resource Referral: Got the Bug?

If you’ve got the copywriting bug—whether you want to write for others or yourself, you owe it to yourself to polish up your skills. That’s why I highly recommend enrolling in AWAI’s Master’s Copywriter Program.

You already know that Monica and I believe the basic program provides a powerful foundation for learning effective direct response copywriting principles. But if you want to become an A-level copywriter, the Master’s Program is the way to go. It will make things click for you so that you own the concepts rather than just know them. There’s really not much more to say. Go for it!

Scroll Call # 5: Evolution of a Mid-life Crisis
by Laurie Cauthen

Here’s Laurie’s fifth installment of her copywriting chronicle…

I always worried that my husband would be the one to have the dreaded mid-life crisis. It never dawned on me that I would be the one to experience it, but that’s exactly what happened.

The first ten years of my marriage were devoted to raising my children, advancing my career and experiencing what I thought to be a happy and fulfilling life. And then I turned forty…

My managerial job demanded much of my time. It kept me working late hours, weekends and holidays. I was missing out on the important irreplaceable events of my children’s lives.

My high-school sweetheart-husband and I became “passing ships in the night” switching over the children in shifts as our work schedules often conflicted. And with the additional burden of a negative political atmosphere at work, I started to examine my life and ask hard questions…

Am I really as happy as I think I am? Is this all I am - or all I will ever be? Am I fulfilling a meaningful purpose? What substantial legacy (other than my children) will I leave behind to benefit others?

Those questions prompted some radical changes in me. And over a course of two years, I took the following actions.

I resigned from my job, started my own home-based business, and relocated to Georgia with my children from my beloved native Florida. I sadly divorced my husband, but convinced him to move to Georgia as well. We are still life-long friends and our children have greatly benefited from our wise parenting- joint relocation-collaboration.

Moving through my two-year transition, I gained a new husband who is also a writer. The good and bad news is, he is also a gourmet cook… so I enjoy his delicious southern cooking - to the detriment of my waistline!

The value of this mid-life crisis evolutionary journey of mine is that it propelled me forward to make necessary changes in my life. Although a painful experience, I took a bold leap that is now paying off in emotionally satisfying dividends.

Since moving to Georgia, I have been on a personal quest to find true purpose and meaning in my life. I am closer to getting there now than I have ever been.

In making the decision to pursue copywriting my life has been transformed for the better. I’ve found a rewarding venue to express myself and benefit others at the same time.

My enthusiasm for learning has been ignited! And with my growing confidence I’m creating opportunities for myself all around. For example, just today I was hired as a journalist for my local newspaper.

To establish credibility in my community as a writer, I wrote the Editor a letter asking if I could write five articles for him for free, about the recreational opportunities available to citizens in our community. After I met with him, he declined my offer to write for free. He said he would pay me instead. What a wonderful surprise!

And now I can tout in my marketing material, “Copywriter and Journalist”. I’m starting to have a “Bob Bly Mindset” and I’m not even halfway through the program yet.

Extreme measures aren’t always necessary to get to where you want to be. You just have to decide what steps you need to take to move yourself forward, and then take them! ACTION is the only thing that will get you there….Nothing else will!

Until next time….