Stories Archives

Fear of rejection and failure?

by Karen Jordan | Oct 28, 2013 | Blog, Faith, Family, Stories

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up” (Thomas A. Edison).

Do you see rejection as failure? Failure often points us toward changes in our direction and priorities.

C. S. Lewis explained, “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.”

Finding the courage to risk failure requires us to be vulnerable.

Recently, I shared some of my thoughts on failure and vulnerability on the WordServe Water Cooler.

Click here to read my post on the WordServe Water Cooler.

What lessons have you learned about failure and vulnerability? Leave your comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

Video/TED (Brené Brown: “The Power of Vulnerability”)
Photo/TaraRoss

Building Legacies: 5 Regrets to Consider

by Karen Jordan | Oct 25, 2013 | Blog, Stories

In this guest post, Darren Dake and Anita Brooks, discuss some questions to consider about leaving a legacy on their podcast, Engaging Life and Leadership.

Most of us have heard about the dash on our tombstone. But have you given thought to the shape it’s taking? Are you making a difference while you have time on earth, and preparing the imprint you’re going to leave? If you haven’t up to this point, it’s never too late for a fresh start with fresh faith. Consider the shape of your dash, and how you can intentionally change your impact from birth to death.

What is your dash? Most people struggle with why on earth they exist. Do you know what you are meant to do? And are you doing it?

Reshaping your dash is an intentional evaluation of how you’re living your life, andexploring ways you can make subtle changes to enact huge differences. Who doesn’t want to transform their everyday from mediocrity to meaning?

All of our lives are shaped by a dash, but not all dashes are shaped the same.
Your reason for existing is as unique as your DNA and fingerprint.
Your unique fingerprint exists so you can leave a unique imprint no one else can leave.
The heartbeat of living is to discover your special talents, and do something with them.
Every day is a gift offered to help you reshape your dash, and influence the dashes of others.
Open the presence of adventure.
Unwrap the gift of serving others.
Cherish the presence of your relationships.
Accept the gift of child’s play.
Identify the people, places, and things impacted by how you live out your dash.
If you don’t intentionally shape your dash — you may regret the mark it leaves.
Whether you carry the title or not, you are a leader. Engage with intentional leadership.
Will you open your gifts, and share them with the world?

Unearth your passions and talents. On podisode #16 of Engaging Life and Leadership, Darren Dake and Anita Brooks talk about the difference you were created to make, and offer practical ways to help you unearth your talents and passions.

You were created on purpose, with purpose, to fulfill a purpose. But are you living your life that way? On their podcast, Darren and Anita explore the questions and how-to’s in a quest most people grapple with.

Considering your regrets. Listen in as Anita and Darren review the five regrets expressed by those nearing death, and talk about preventing them, before it’s too late.

I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
I wish I didn’t work so hard.
I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
I wish I had let myself be happier.

Check out these books. Also, don’t forget to check out Anita’s book, First Hired, Last Fired — How to Become Irreplaceable in Any Job Market, and Darren’s book, Unrighteous today.

If you could write a note to your younger self, what would you say?

Lessons I Learned about Writing on the Walking Trail

by Karen Jordan | Oct 22, 2013 | Blog, Faith, Stories

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised” (Heb. 10:35-36 NLT).

As I climbed the very first hill on an asphalt trail near my home, my heart raced. I resisted the temptation to sit down at first. And by the time I made it to the top of that hill, I felt like I’d been walking over an hour. As I plodded on, in pain, the trail leveled. But I continued to struggle with each new hill.

Since I carried my camera, I paused several times to capture an interesting shot along the way. I only intended to walk for about 30 minutes. But when I checked the time, I discovered an hour had passed.

I learned some things about myself on the walking trail that day that apply to the other areas of my life, including my writing life.

Interested in hearing about the five lessons that I learned on the walking trail about endurance?

Check out my post today on the StoryWriting Studio!

How do you endure setbacks in your writing life? Tell us how you overcame your setbacks in the comment space below.

Photo/KarenJordan

Related articles

Writing Life: 5 Tips for Endurance (storywritingstudio.wordpress.com)
Writer’s Block? Try Freewriting (storywritingstudio.wordpress.com)
Facing a Fear? Do It Afraid! (storywritingstudio.wordpress.com)
Struggling with Telling Your Story (storywritingstudio.wordpress.com)

Broken Vessels … Building Legacies

by Karen Jordan | Oct 17, 2013 | Blog, Family, Stories

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Cor. 4:7 NLT).

Sometimes I feel like an empty, broken container with nothing left to offer anyone. Maybe I’ve stretched myself too thin with commitments, I’m exhausted, or I’m faced with physical, emotional, or mental limitations. (more…)

Fear of Humiliation

by Karen Jordan | Oct 14, 2013 | Blog, Faith, Stories

“What do YOU have to say?”

When I spoke to a close friend about sensing God’s direction to pursue writing for publication, his question disturbed me.

I don’t believe my friend meant to discourage me with his heart-rending question. But his question just echoed the doubt that I had already heard in my heart: What do I have to say? No one will believe me or listen to me!

Read about how I faced my doubts and fear of humiliation in my post today in A Common Bond. [Click here to read my post on a Common Bond.]

Photo/KarenJordan

What doubts and fears have you faced as you pursued your dreams? Leave your comments below. I’d love to hear your story!

The Gift of Friendship

by Karen Jordan | Sep 17, 2013 | Blog, Faith, Stories

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself ….” (C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves).

Every writer dreams of discovering a new treasure chest full of writing prompts.

Today, I discovered one right at my fingertips, when I clicked on my Facebook “friends.”

Stories. Every friend reminded me of a story or at least one unique characteristic or value. And as I read my list of friends, I realized again what a blessing friends have been in my life.

Gifts. Each one of my friends represents a gift from God to me. And I pray that I never take the blessing of friendship for granted. My friends have taught me more about myself and my world. And they have helped to transform me into the person I am today. And they continue to influence me on my faith journey.

Memories. I’ve walked through some difficult times with many of my friends. And I’ve experienced some of my most valued moments in life with my friends.

As I thought about some of my childhood friends, I remembered stories from elementary school or junior high. When I thought about some of my high school friends, I thought of several great and some “not-so-great” moments.

Some of my lifelong friends witnessed my wedding. Others stood by me during the birth of my children and even my grandchildren. Many of my friends supported me through the death my parents. Others helped me pack, or I helped them pack, when we moved away from each other.

I made new friends with each move. I never forget some of the friends I made during my journey as a non-traditional college student. And some of my first writing colleagues encouraged me as I began my journey as a writing instructor.

Dreams. As I pursued my journey as a writer, I discovered even more treasured friendships. We’ve shared our dreams and visions, and we’ve prayed for each other as we pitched ideas to publishers, agents, and other writing professionals at writing conferences.

My writing friends encourage me as we confess our doubts and fears to each other. And they inspire me with their insights into the world of publishing. We celebrate our successes and mourn our failures together. We encourage each other when rejection or frustrations overwhelm us.

As I stretch beyond my comfort zone with speaking, blogging, marketing, and new technology, my friends offer a listening ear or an encouraging nudge.

Inspiration. I’m thankful for the friends who inspired this writing prompt idea today. I hope this post encourages you to write down some of your stories about the friends in your life.

What treasured friendship came to mind as you read this post? I hope you will share your story of friendship with us as a comment to this post.