Category Archives: Inspiration

You’ve Got to Make the Clay

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

In her latest release, 1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round, novelist Jami Attenberg, shares her advice and that of over 50 other writers.

Here’s an inspiring essay from Hannah Tinti:

When I was younger, I did pottery. Before I learned how to throw on the wheel, or fire a kiln, or even how to press a pinch pot, my teacher showed us how to make clay. There was a huge barrel of slip in the studio, a trash can filled with water, where everyone would throw their mistakes. Any failed creation (that hadn’t been baked yet) would be recycled back into the mud, and the first step to making new clay was to grab a heavy shovel and start tossing these old mistakes in the giant mixer. Every once in a while, we’d open the lid and check the consistency. If the clay was too dry, we’d throw in another shovel of failure.

This is how I’ve come to think of first drafts. Before you can make a priceless vase or a heartfelt novel, you’ve got to make the clay. And you better put on some overalls, because you’re going to get covered with muck. The good news is, you can recycle some of your old ideas. In fact, using the slurry of previous work ages your clay (like fine wine in an oak barrel), making it stronger and more flexible, which greatly increases the chances that your next creations won’t end up in the slip bucket. So think of your 1000 words today as raw material. It doesn’t have to look like anything yet. But one day you’ll come back to it and spin it into something beautiful.

Source: 1000 Words, p. 157

Book Blast: Dishing Love Daily

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome chef and author Susanne Clark. Today, Susanne shares her collection of cherished recipes, Dishing Love Daily.

Blurb

Dishing Love Daily and Other Secret Ingredients (trademarked in Canada and the US) is more than a cookbook. Chef Suzy shares her collection of cherished recipes that focus on healthy, fresh, easy-to-find ingredients, appealing to both the novice and experienced cook. She will also guide you to and through a revolutionary, adaptable approach to bringing mindfulness and positivity into the kitchen. It’s a timely, relevant and original concept in food craft that weaves our energetic imprint into a meal and into the hearts of those who sit at our table. It’s a powerful, creative concept in awareness that will transform the everyday endeavour of nourishing our bodies into a life-changing act of nourishing our souls. Come on, let’s get dishing!

Excerpt

Welcome to Dishing Love Daily and Other Secret Ingredients. It won’t take you long to realize that this book full of recipes is more than a cookbook. It’s a new, revolutionary, approach of bringing mindfulness and positivity into the kitchen. It’s a philosophy of incorporating a daily habit of awareness into the art of cooking.

Every morning, I intentionally choose a motivating, uplifting word and then spend the day infusing its fortifying and nourishing energy into everything I do, especially the meals I prepare for the people I love. One word. I think about this word. I talk about this word. I try and emulate the meaning of this word. Some days the word has a strong, clear connection to the recipe and the meal I’m preparing. On other days, the link is more subtle and implied. Words like, “authentic,” “choice,” “thankful,” “potential,” “kindness.” I’ve used a “secret ingredient” in every recipe of the cookbook and I’ve felt the healing energy of each heart-held word. There’s a fullness and a deepness in this practice that transcends the kitchen. Dishing Love Daily affirms the mantra, “What I think, I become” and I have become an expert at living life through this powerful lens of intention. The kitchen is where I feel centred and connected to my purpose: to share my vision of food as an expression of love and a foundation for nurturing and healing our most important relationships. It’s timely, relevant and impactful.

Author Bio and Links

Susanne Clark, a.k.a. Chef Suzy, earned her Red Seal in Culinary Arts in 2009 at SAIT in Calgary, Canada, apprenticing at Hotel Arts under the talented supervision of Duncan Ly and Karine Moulin. Upon graduation, Chef Suzy established Magnifique Cuisine, a successful catering business in the Calgary area. She also worked full time as the in-house executive chef for one of Canada’s original Dragons’ Den entrepreneurs, W. Brett Wilson, cooking for his Home Office team and a global circle of business and community leaders, artists and celebrities.

Suzy’s first and continuing career as a mother of four empowered and vibrant daughters formed her vision of food as an expression of love and a foundation for healing and sustaining our most important relationships. Suzy loves to travel and seeks out every opportunity to enjoy culinary experiences around the world. She has been married to the love of her life, Richard, for 36 years.

Book Instagram | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Giveaway

The author will award a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Susanne on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

Suzanne Clark brings a unique approach to this cookbook, which is more than just a collection of recipes. It’s a journey of mindfulness and positivity in the kitchen. Each recipe starts with a secret ingredient, a motivating and uplifting word the sets the tone. A short reflection follows. One of my favorites: “Abundance. It’s an attitude of contentment. It’s a place of inner peace. It’s quiet gratitude. It’s an awake-ness of our enough-ness.”

Well-organized and easy to follow, Dishing Love Daily is a treasure trove of diverse and tempting recipes, each waiting to be discovered. I’m eager to try the flavorful Cioppino, the refreshing Zippy Orange Crunch Salad, the exotic Thai Coconut Tilapia, and the indulgent Nutella Mousse.

Beyond the Clutter

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

In the Summer 2024 edition of Oprah Daily, professional organizer Julie Morgenstern shared hard-won wisdom about clutter. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Being organized is all about being ready. Ready for the phone to ring with a spur-of-the-moment invitation. Ready for an emergency should a crisis erupt. Ready to pursue your passions.

Organizing is the process by which we create environments and schedules that enable us to live, work, and relax exactly as we want. It is a liberating process—an empowering, nurturing, exhilarating journey. And it’s not about getting rid of things. Organizing from the inside out is a drive toward truth. It’s about discovering the truth of who you are and what is important to you. Organizing is not the destination; it is the gateway to achieving your higher goals.

To assess your current level of organization, ask yourself:

Can I find what I need when I need it?

Does my environment allow me to express my whole self?

Am I surrounded only by things I use and love?

Is my day filled with the activities that are most important to me?

If you answered yes to all these questions, relax. You’re doing fine. But if you answered no, the next question is, Are you ready for change?

Surprisingly, the truth lies not in the quantity of piles or in how long you’ve been disorganized. Breakthrough occurs when you suddenly see something on the other side of the clutter that you desperately, vividly want.

So let me give you an assignment. Ask yourself what is on the other side of your clutter? What do you hope to gain? Is it clear? Is it compelling? Are you ready to embrace it? Because the skills it takes to get organized are simple. Beyond the clutter, I promise you’ll find the space and the time to fulfill your dreams.

Give Yourself Grace and Acceptance

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

A long-time fan of bestselling authors and coaches Marc and Angel Chernoff, I look forward to reading their emails and blog posts. Here’s an excerpt from a recent post:

As a child you impressed and inspired yourself on a daily basis. You ran, jumped, swung, sang, and danced openly without a care in the world — without worrying about what everyone else thought of you. You didn’t need anyone else’s constant approval, because deep down you knew you were amazing.

But as you grew into adulthood the pressure from peers, popular media, and society as a whole began to wear on you. You started comparing yourself to everyone around you. You judged and measured your body, your lifestyle, your career, and your relationships against other people’s lives. And when you realized that many of these people have things that you do not, bitterness set in and you gradually stopped appreciating all the great things you do have in your life.

Optimists defend themselves against this self-dislike in two primary ways. First, they get back to trusting their own intuition when it comes to their daily activities. They stop asking for everyone else’s approval and simply do what they know in their heart feels right. Second, optimists don’t judge themselves against a set of unrealistic, third-party ideals. They let go of the ideals and instead hold on to the belief that they are always good enough just the way they are, even as they grow into stronger, wiser versions of themselves.

Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Marc & Angel’s website.

Plant Success

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

Whenever I need a boost, I reread Write Smart, Write Happy by award-winning author Cheryl St. John. Here’s an uplifting excerpt:

More than once I’ve heard the mind compared to land or soil. Land is lying there, available. If you have a yard or a garden, you know this. A farmer knows it, up close and personal. Land doesn’t have an opinion about what becomes of it; it’s ready for anything. If no one ever plows or plants seeds or fertilizes, the land will produce only weeds. Maybe a stray wildflower or tree seed will happen by, and if the weather permits and there is adequate rain and sun, those seeds will grow into plants. Anything that grows is by happenstance.

But a farmer can plow and prepare the soil and plant any crop he wishes—anything from corn to deadly nightshade. Land doesn’t care. It will produce whatever is planted. But land always returns what is planted.

The same is true for our minds. We can let our minds fall idle to whatever happens to fall in and take root. Or we can create goals, prepare our thoughts, and plant success. Our minds don’t care what we plant, but whatever we plant is what will grow and be returned to us.

Source: Write Smart, Write Happy by Cheryl St. John, p. 256

New Release – Just Say Yes

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to announce the release of Just Say Yes, the latest book in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. My story, “Worth a Try,” was selected as one of the 101 stories for this publication.

About the Anthology

Try new things, overcome your fears, and broaden your world. You’ll feel empowered, emboldened, and energized when you step outside your comfort zone and Just Say Yes!

Just Say Yes! Say “YES” to what challenges you. Say “YES” to facing your fears. Say “YES” to reinventing yourself. Say “YES” to a more exciting and bigger world. Whether it’s something little—like trying a new food—or something big—like traveling to a far away country—we feel empowered when we say YES. You can do it! And the entertaining, personal accounts in these 101 stories will give you motivation and inspiration you need. All you have to do is say “YES.”

Excerpt from Worth a Try

Each morning, I faced the tyranny of the blank page. Everything was in place—business cards, a new computer, and dreams of a runaway bestseller. Unfortunately, my underdeveloped writing muscles refused to cooperate.

A fellow writer said, “You need to shake up your life.”

Creating an oasis of calm had been one of my retirement goals—a reward, or so I believed, for surviving three decades of teaching adolescents. I enjoyed my luncheon dates, yoga sessions, and uninterrupted blocks of reading time. Did I really want to shake up my life? I was stuck, though. So maybe it was worth a try.

Friends offered several suggestions, including signing up for kickboxing, running a marathon, and joining a local theater group. While considering the kickboxing option, I noticed an invitation from Royal City Toastmasters in the local newspaper. I sent a quick e-mail informing the contact person that I would be attending their next meeting.

Several times, I contemplated canceling but talked myself out of it. A bit apprehensive before arriving, I relaxed when I saw twelve people in the boardroom, most of them women. We chatted for a few minutes, and then a gentleman called the meeting to order.

I watched as two members rose to share the word and joke of the day. A third member introduced the Table Topics section of the meeting. I gathered from her brief description that impromptu speaking was involved. And then the woman turned in my direction and smiled. “Joanne, would you like to participate?”

Buy Links

Amazon CA | Amazon US | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

What Are You Saying?

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

Here’s a thought-provoking reflection from international speaker and bestselling author Joyce Meyer:

You’ve probably heard someone say, “You might end up eating those words.” It may sound like a simple expression to us, but in reality, we do eat our words. What we say not only affects our friends and the people around us, but it also profoundly affects us. The question is, how will your words impact your life: positively or negatively?

Words are wonderful when used in a proper way. They can encourage, edify, and give confidence to the hearer. A right word spoken at the right time can be used to change a life.

You can increase your own joy and greatly reduce stress by speaking the right words. You can also upset yourself by talking unnecessarily about your problems or about things that have hurt you. The choice is yours to make today and everyday.

Source: Quiet Times with God by Joyce Meyer