Less Hustle, More Align

Life is a funny thing.

Four years ago, in the midst of a major life transformation, I woke up one morning and realized my hands were closed so tightly in fists that I was not able to receive. I was holding on so tightly to what I thought I had control over that I didn't recognize that I was missing countless opportunities. It was all based in fear-- fear of the unknown. In that moment I made the choice to "let go" of the three businesses I still owned: my publishing company, my radio show, and my writing workshop company, all of which I loved. I had already parted in a divorce with my half of the restaurant I owned, and I had no idea what I was going to do. But what I had been doing, which amounted to years of hustling and stress, wasn't working. I dissolved the three LLC's, shut down the websites, and noticed that, on some days, I was breathing again.

Interestingly, as soon as I made the shift in my mind, my outer world started shifting. Within two weeks of that decision to let go, I had an offer to buy my radio show. With that sale I was gifted time to not have to hustle to make money, and because I no longer was spending all of my time trying to work on other people's writings, I was able to work on myself and my own writing, something I hadn't done in years. Nine months later I had written my novel Bone by Bone. When I finished the book, it occurred to me that I still had the bones of my publishing company, so I welcomed it back, renamed it, and relaunched it to publish my book, and then our 20th title, Plant Spirit Totems by Bloom Post. Two more books are in the works now to be released by the end of the year.

Last week my friend Valerie, who owns South Main Creative, contacted me out of the blue and asked if I would be interested in putting my books at her amazing store. Keep in mind that I had asked her last year if there was a way for me to sell Bone by Bone there, but we couldn't figure out a way to make that happen. Today I set up shop there. Now, instead of one title, I have a shelf that can hold all of our 20+ titles (and will soon!). And, I get to share it with the inspiring Erin Wood and Et Alia Press.

Less hustle, more align.

There's a saying that goes something like, "You can't shake hands with a closed fist." As I have learned, you also can't receive with a closed fist. Sometimes letting go is the only way to receive what you really need, and other times what you let go comes back to you when you least expect it.

Ain't life grand?