Burnout is no joke and I’m fresh out of the pit so still mindful of what I spend my time on. This is especially true in my “paycheck job,” as I refer to it since I like to think of my author business as my real job. (I’m working on a mind shift change now, it is going well, and is the main reason I’ve been so quiet of late… but I digress).
I work for a small government, which has its own set of problems I won’t get into here. I need to keep it positive, so I am focusing on the parts of my function that bring me joy. I have been diligent and focused in the last few years especially by planning and adding amenities to the Park systems I help administrate. This has earned me some “energy pennies” as Becca Syme calls them and if you aren’t familiar with her and are a writer, I highly recommend you check her out. She can be found in any number of ways, but I will link to her YouTube channel below and from there you can find all the other ways to tap into her wisdom.
In January I was lucky enough to participate in a workshop she held which got me thinking of my creative body of work in a whole new way. I am a multi-passionate creator and a dabbler so I started to pay attention to the places other than writing that were fueling my excitement. Recently, without seeking it out and by following natural opportunities that came my way, I managed to blend my passion for books and admiration for street art into my work as a Parks Coordinator.
These pictures below represent what I started with… a blank “slate” so to speak. (No pun intended)
We were given an opportunity by a local coalition to be one of the locations for their StoryWalk project, which is designed to do a few things: Promote literacy and love of reading, Give families a no-cost activity to enjoy, and Get families outside and enjoying nature. We had the space, they provided the panels, and a project was born. The how was up to our staff, so I got to work and called in some help.
We had staff clean up the space, hired vendors to lay down the pathway, and what one resident had started with some memorial benches (and another added with a Free Little Library), quickly became a space where folks could hang out and enjoy the outdoors and each other’s company for a spell.
Projects like these aren’t done by one person, but it takes someone to have the vision and see it through. In this particular case, that was me. Took me back to my cheerleading days if I am honest. I saw an opportunity and made the move or perhaps it was a bit of “she wasn’t about to let anyone tell her no.” Okay, it was probably mostly that if I’m honest. But wow! It came out just how I had imagined, and I am so proud to be part of this legacy! Are there naysayers out there? Of course, there are. I met one that day right after the ribbon-cutting as a matter of fact. But he and his nasty attitude have all but been forgotten and replaced by all of the amazing support, glowing comments, and sheer joy I witness when young families use this space.
The StoryWalk project has done me an incredible service by adding fuel I so desperately needed to the glowing embers of creativity that were barely visible this past few years. I am happy to report this girl is finally back on fire and ready to write… and the ideas just keep coming! 💃🏻
Sometimes, when life gives you lemons… you need to make a lemon drop martini. I’m making enough to share these days and I can’t wait to serve you what I’ve been mixing!
Interested in giving the women of history the happily-ever-after they deserved? Want to know how I would do it? Check out the Goddesses In Love Collection along with news on my latest releases and free book offers by going to my home page here: https://dahenneman.com/.
For anyone interested in joining my newsletter and hearing more about what I’m up to, you can subscribe here: https://bit.ly/DAHennemanNewsletter
Resources:
Write Better Faster Academy (Becca Syme) – https://betterfasteracademy.com/wbf101/
Becca Syme (YouTube) – https://www.youtube.com/@BeccaSyme
Great Start Livingston – https://greatstartlivingston.org/storywalk/
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information about subsidiary rights, please contact the author at saraybooksllc@gmail.com.
D.A. Henneman - Romance Author 
You must be logged in to post a comment.