Do you like coffee? (Or tea or hot cocoa?)

By now you know I love to journal. Other than reading or napping, personal journaling is my favorite way to quietly spend time alone.

When I'm home and have no where else to go for the day, I sometimes relax by enjoying coffee or hot chocolate.

And you know, coffee does something to the brain. I'm actually quite sensitive to caffeine, but timed correctly I can use the stimulant to my advantage.

Caffeine morphs my creative levels into overdrive. I can get jittery, but if I keep busy I don't even notice.

Now, that's for coffee. Sometimes I have decaf when I don't want to be anxious or jittery. But unfortunately decaf does the opposite: it makes me sleepy.

It's great for before bedtime, though. ;)

I'd often use my same two old mugs for drinking either beverage, or hot chocolate. I've used them for a few years, and one of them is definitely getting a bit worn.

I could get new mugs... but I want mugs I designed because I know exactly what I like. I like comforting things. Encouraging things. And purple. (Because. Purple.)

So I'll get to the point.

I've got 2 mugs on sale, designed by yours truly. And for you my readers, I've got a couple of discounts waiting for you. This is NOT available to everyone else or in other stores-- you are the first and the only people to know about it.

I sell them at GearBubble. If you don't have a GearBubble account, it's fast and completely free to create one.

I've got a $2 discount for the black mug version of my "Curl Up with a Journal and Write" coffee mugs.

I also have a $3 discount for the white with purple text version of this mug. And you don't even need them to drink; you can use it to store your favorite pens or pencils.

Maybe you could keep writing-related quotes in a mug with this design.

Or you might know a friend who'd like this mug... especially an introverted friend. She or he can use the extra comfort, a gentle reminder that they can sit with their journal and write in it.

Either way, I'm so excited to give you the first discounts on my mugs up for sale. There are 11oz and 15oz available for both of them.

Get the black and white one here.

Get the purple text one here.

But hurry. These discount links are good for only 2 days. Get your discount while you can!

Sara

P.S.: I like coffee and I want new mugs, so I'm making my own. I have two different versions, a black and white mug and a white one with purple text that say "Curl Up with Your Journal and Write." You can get them at GearBubble with a discount good for 2 days only.

My Quiet, Private Way

I've been doing a lot of journaling and intense "brain dumping" in the last three weeks. And let me tell you, it's done a heck of a lot of good for me.

I realize I can't help everyone. I can't help every single person. It is impossible to please everyone, and I tend to be a people-pleaser. But here's what's going on.

Recently I've been reading more about my personality type. For around a year I've known I was an INFJ - Introvert, INtuition, Feeling, Judgment. (Judgment would be more about self-judgment in this case.) And it's true I have trouble adjusting to major changes or suddenly stressful situations.

So I've decided to reduce my stress by easing up on things.

I am learning new skills so I can create my products and work more independently and not need to depend on anyone else. I am learning how to use certain software and utilize techniques to facilitate independent creative work. I am not going to depend on someone else's schedule or agenda because I can do with less conflict.

Already I have mentioned I'm gearing up to be an authorpreneur. My workaholic tendencies can sometimes get the better of me, but I'd rather have that than a boss. I'm not accepting any client work now, not for at least another long while. When I know better what I can do, I can consider working for others, but I otherwise have only done excellent audio transcription as a freelancer and I'd now charge more for it than before, because my time is very valuable.

I am happier when I do entrepreneurial tasks that are congruent to who I am, what I like and what energizes me. So if I want to make journal books too, then I'll do that. I can still help more people without feeling like I'm worthless just because I don't do "real" work or have a "conventional" job. I will be helping others but in my more private, quiet way.

I apologize if this blog post feels somewhat of a mess. But I felt I had to update you and my other readers about what's going on, and it's not even everything. I'm taking a bit of time off to figure some things out and write some ideas out. It's very necessary... and right now I shouldn't deny myself this important period of healing and reflection.

Re-reading a favorite book

About a year ago I came across a book that I had the chance to get as a free eBook.

By then I've read plenty of self-help books (or started reading them), but none have made an impact on my life as huge as this one. It's an essential read for today's young writers, authors, artists, coaches, any entrepreneurs of all ages. Even high school students will find it very useful.

It's Peter Voogd's book 6 Months to 6 Figures.

Before then, I read the book The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. It focuses on discipline to make smarter choices for a better and healthier future. I enjoyed reading that, but there was something missing.

Then an author whose newsletter I subscribed to recommended 6 Months to 6 Figures to her readers because it changed her life.

At first I was skeptical about the title. I had a bad attitude about money or even wanting more  money. But the truth is, everyone wants to be successful...

And there's nothing wrong with wanting to make more money to do that.

One of the biggest things I learned reading 6 Months to 6 Figures:

Stop doing what you don't want to do. If it doesn't give you any value, if it doesn't allow you to help others the way you do best, then don't do it anymore.

For some of you, it may be easy, and for more, it's harder than others to leave a job you don't like.

But that's the thing. Not everyone is a good fit for a conventional job. If it would do more harm than good to have a "real" job, you should be doing something meaningful.

And I mean something meaningful to YOU.

For me, that's writing and creating. I write better than I speak, so if writing is what I do best, I'm sticking with that. I can help more people this way. And I have to do it in my own element: a quiet room, alone. I am easily overstimulated and easily get distracted, so working at a store or office would visibly deteriorate my health.

I have to think about what's best for me, before I can properly help others.

Now, Peter Voogd's book 6 Months to 6 Figures is a #1 bestseller, and it's a bestseller for a reason. Times have changed. The old rules about work that have been around for decades don't apply anymore.

I'm re-reading this book, not only because it requires more than one reading, but because I find comfort knowing I don't have to "fit in" to be successful.

Unfortunately the eBook isn't free now. But Peter Voogd does have a FREE 4-part video training series coming up soon. It's called 30 Days to Your First $1k. Peter will teach you how to to generate your first $1,000 in just 30 days. And you'll get the gist of what his book is about, and more.

Click here to grab your spot. Or you can click on the image below to learn more.

This free video series will be available only for a very limited time, so don't wait! I hope Peter's video series convinces you to see things differently.

Happy viewing! :)