Over the weekend, my friend Raquel married her best friend Matthew and their wedding absolutely fabulous!

I was so honored and excited to be able to celebrate the event with their other friends and family! A little video from the special day is just below. 

I wish I had a nice camera, but I only had the one on my phone. So, the quality of the video is not what I would have liked. That said, the wedding was so spectacular that even with my sad little camera phone, the magic of the event still shines through! 

​We don't typically set goals with the aim of failing to achieve them, but sometimes a perceived "loss" is even more valuable than a win could have been.

On that note, what if we never lost? 

Imagine what life would be like if every persob we asked out said yes, if babies took their first successful steps during their initial attempts at walking, and if we managed to get perfect scores on every test without studying.

If life was like that, wouldn't we be jipped? Wouldn't we miss out on developing a certain set of skills that enhance resilience?

Humility, which helps to refine our sense of self-awareness, might be challenging for someone who's used to getting what they want without having to work for it. 

Courage is another quality that can be enhanced when we get in the habit of pushing through defeat. 

After a fail, learning how to get up off the ground, work through embarrassment, and even perhaps through some physical scars that the loss brought is a painful yet priceless experience that builds our empathy for other people who have tough lives and it helps us to stop fearing failure.

How many people are so scared of failing that they never even try to face challenges or chase after their dreams?

But people who know loss and failure, though they certainly don't crave it, aren't as afraid of it and this gives them the humility and courage to keep trying. Even when the odds are against them, they try. 

And you know what? 

Sometimes they win amid the most seemingly impossible circumstances.

This past Saturday was an exciting opportunity to chat with families about ​My Friend Jack Has Celiac as I set up a table near the entrance of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and invited passersby to enjoy some gluten-free snacks and talk about celiac. 

Who wants to spend their Saturday morning talking to a stranger about a pesky gastrointestinal/autoimmune disorder?

Honestly, I was afraid the answer to that question was a resounding, "No one." But I was pleasantly surprised when quite a few people were not only polite enough to have a friendly chat, but eagerly asking questions and sharing stories about their own experiences with celiac. 

It was truly a privilege to meet so many friendly and engaging people who were supportive of my new children's book about celiac and brave enough to try some gluten-free snacks. 

It also warmed my heart to see friends like local photographer Britt Smith, the lovely Ann Allison, and my parents Al and Lorraine. 

If you stopped by to chat this past Saturday, thank you for your time and support and I hope you and your family enjoy the new book!

When we carry an untold story, it sort of sits on our shoulders like a weight. 
But when we write what's locked away in our hearts, we let go of burdens  we may not have realized we'd been holding onto. 

Other people who read these stories feel understood as they see their private concerns in the words of a stranger. Worries they've never uttered to another soul are suddenly staring back at them in a book written by a stranger. And as they continue to read, they feel a burden lifted from their souls. The gift of being understood allows them to release the worries they'd been holding onto.

​ So, in more ways than one, our stories carry weight. 

We can choose to bear our stories on our backs for the rest of our lives or we can share so as to release the burden and let it become a blessing to some reader who needs our words. 
​

Everyone is a writer and everyone's story needs to be heard by someone. 
We might be afraid of criticism, but judgmental people can't be avoided. They'll judge someone who's silent for remaining silent.
So, why not speak up?
​Use your voice to share the story that someone else needs to hear.  ​

What do a nagging toothache, a persistent bad smell, and a person with a toxic attitude have in common? For one, they make daily life pretty miserable.

One way to avoid being needlessly impacted by a toxic colleague's attitude is to only be in their presence when absolutely necessary. Avoid spending downtime with them, eating lunch with them, friending them on social media, or giving them access to your personal home number and email address. While you must engage with them at work regarding projects or tasks, there's no reason to do so outside of working hours.
​

​ It's likely that your toxic colleague suffers from a variety of personal problems. An inability to effectively address their personal problems may trigger abusive behaviors. 
Though we may feel empathy for them, it isn't our job to placate them or to try and "fix" them.
​Instead of attempting to please them or heal their emotional wounds, it may be best to respect the boundaries we've established and feel sympathy for them from a safe distance.

Honestly, this last suggestion may not always work.  Before going to HR or to a superior who seems trustworthy, you may want to observe how these individuals handle other problems in the company. Do they solve the problem? Do they sweep it under the rug?
Or does the "whistleblower" somehow manage to get demoted?
If the HR Department and/or superior has a track record of integrity, it's likely a good idea to bring your concerns to them. But if you suspect your complaint will be brushed aside or do nothing more than put a target on your back, it may be time to look for a new job.   

It's no fun to work with unpleasant people, but work is not life. It's simply an aspect of your day, and it's likely you'll eventually leave this job to move on to something better. 

​So, remember to maintain your positive outlook, establish boundaries, avoid getting sucked into a toxic person's drama, and if prudent, mention your concerns to an HR representative or superior who has the power to make positive changes in the workplace. 

I hope some of these tips come in handy and I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Do you have friends and acquaintances who are so creative and inspiring that you feel like everyone should know about their talents?

You'd probably be happy to help promote them, if only you could figure out how to do so successfully!

​These were my thoughts when I created the monthly periodical pictured below, ​Bayou Trésors! 

This brand new online magazine -which I hope to eventually make available in print- contains interviews with inspiring artists and entrepreneurs as well as samples of their work! The featured work includes poems, short stories, and art.

​Bayou Trésors also has articles for entrepreneurs interested in embarking on new business endeavors, expanding current ventures, and further developing their skill sets.

My goal is to leave readers inspired and encouraged to take on the steps that lead to the accomplishment of their goals! 

If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming issue or lend your voice to the magazine by writing an opinion piece, please feel free to message me here!

​The first issue of Bayou Trésors is available to read at www.bayoutresors.weebly.com  

Do you absolutely love to write, but notice that lately you're experiencing writer's block or an inability to focus when you attempt to work on your current project?

Are you also overwhelmed by a feeling of exhaustion or frustration even when you simply think about the writing project you once loved? ​

If you're experiencing the emotions mentioned above, you might be suffering from writing burnout.

Writing burnout is often described as a state of exhaustion that can make you feel like you lack the bandwidth to produce the sort of work that once came easily to you.

​So, how does one navigate this disturbing state of exhaustion?

Well, first of all, it may be helpful to try and get more sleep.
Sometimes we don't realize how much stress we put on ourselves by sacrificing much-needed sleep for work. ​

If you've ever considered dipping a toe in self-publishing's tempting waters, I've just written and released a new book that can help!

The brand new read pictured above is a simplified handbook that guides newbie indie authors through the writing/publishing process. 

My goal in creating the handbook was to keep it simple, funny, and focused. Why? Well, writing is meant to be enjoyable. But sometimes when we write with the goal of publishing, we begin viewing each aspect of the project as more of a series of tasks to be executed than a fun project. Such a perspective can deprive writers of joy, lead to feelings of being overwhelmed and eventually, burnout. 

No one wants any of that. 

Hence, this approach to self-publishing, which aims to help writers maintain their joy as they carry out each step of the process.  

So, I hope some new writers out there find this guide both enjoyable and practical!  

Everyone has that cousin, Aunt, or nephew who is either a struggling artist or an enthusiastic idealist with an exciting new business venture every few years.

We might also notice that when this family member eagerly unveils their latest project to the family, eyerolls abound and their ideas are gently -or not so gently- rejected. Other, well-meaning family members might encourage them to, "be more realistic" and "think about getting a real job."

After repeatedly hearing such advice, you see your creative relative get a little down and you want to help, but you sort of understand the reasoning in the advice to "be more realistic."

So, how can you be sincerely supportive? 

There are few things more valuable than time.
We probably check the time on our phones even more than we check the balance of our bank accounts, right? 
It makes sense that we do this because time is the essence of life. 
So, giving someone your time is tantamount to saying, "You are an incredibly valuable part of my life." 

Along those lines, one of the best ways to support the struggling artist in our family or group of friends may very well be to give them a call and say, "Hey, remember that idea you mentioned the other day at dinner? Why don't you come over tomorrow night and tell me more. It was interesting." 

You're not committing to anything other than listening, and you're showing that you respect and support them. 
In fact, as you take an hour or so to listen intently to their idea, you might even be able to offer practical suggestions that would help them see their vision through. 

Giving someone a listening ear is usually all it takes to make them feel supported and valued! 

Most freelance artists use free social media platforms to build a fanbase and even acquire customers. So, if your creative family member invites you to follow them on social media, take the opportunity to do exactly that. 

As they share posts that sincerely resonate with you and that you feel are appropriate, share them with your followers. 

​Even if this doesn't result in driving loads of customers their way, it lets them know you care.  

A statistic cited on the business insurance site Embroker states that, "About 90% of startups fail. 10% of startups fail within the first year."  

That reality hurts. 

Whether your creative family member/friend's new venture falls into the categories listed above or eventually goes on to see wild success, support from loved ones will make them feel wealthier beyond measure. 

I'm saying all of this from the perspective of that wacky family member who tends to have idea after idea. Over the years, I've created dozens of websites and multiple business ventures. Each one is exciting and gives me a sense of adventure as I pursue it.

And let's just say that after years of doing this, I'm still incredibly far from being a millionaire. But I feel rich in another way.

Family and friends who make me feel like my ideas have a place in this world and really can contribute to the community is far more precious than making tons of money.

They listen when I excitedly stumble through explanations of my ventures and offer excellent suggestions to help me carry out some of these ideas.

And every time I try my hand at something new, I learn more thanks to these kind family members and friends.

If any of you are reading this, thank you. 

​Or perhaps you're reading this because you have an idealistic creative in your family with lots of big ideas and you're not quite sure what to do with them.

My suggestion is to make them feel loved by listening to them and following them on social media to be supportive to any ideas that just may take off.

​Even if their plans fall through, the loving support you provide will lift them up and allow them to keep moving forward. ​