WRITING A NEW CHAPTER

Have you ever watched a movie and halfway, you thought this is boring? Nothing is happening, the movie lacks action and adventure? Or you started a book and became uninterested because the characters lack energy and there is no real plot?

Think about your life with the same outlook. With you as the character and your life as the book, do you lack drive or excitement? Is your life lacking a plot?

If your life consists of eating, sleeping, and going to work, with minimum changes, each week, month, and year; it may be time to start a new chapter.

How do you begin writing a new chapter in life?

Think about the things that gets you excited; gets your blood pumping and your juices flowing. What will keep you motivated and charged after getting the great idea?

Possible new chapters:

• Learn to cook. If you already know how to cook, learn to cook diverse types of meals.
• Start a vegetable/herbal garden. You can begin with small pots, window ledges or patios.
• Join a fitness class.
• Start a book club
• Plan a trip
• Start an arts and crafts project
• Get a degree
• Take online courses, for fun.
• Learn a new language
• Find a hobby that suits you
• Relocate to another location (new apartment, new home, new city)
• Get a new job.
• Teach a craft/skill to others
• Join a club
• Take up a sport.

New chapters should result into happy conclusions. The goal of writing one new chapter will result into another positive chapter and slowly your book of life will change.

Example: you started an herb/vegetable garden. After harvesting you begin to cook healthier meals. Later you discover you have lost weight because of the exercise in in your garden and eating healthier. Also, you can share your harvest of vegetable/herbs and recipes to friends, family, and possible homeless shelters Or, sell your goods at local Farmers Markets. Your new chapter has successful conclusions for you and others.

Pitfalls to avoid:

• Start small. Do not begin an elaborate chapter and find out it is too much to manage in your present situation.
• Start cheap. Do not begin an expensive project, to later discover this is not for you. And you have shelled out an exorbitant amount of money.
• Do not attempt to start a chapter belonging to someone else. That chapter may have worked for them, but not for you. You may have a similar idea but make it yours.
• Remember, once a chapter ends, begin a new chapter to avoid your life falling into a rut.
• Do not allow COVID to be your excuse, not to begin a new chapter. They are plenty of online and virtual avenues allowing social distancing.
• Scrolling social media streaming movies on various channels are not healthy chapters. They are guilty pleasures, however if these activities consume copious amounts of your time and not moving your story forward, reevaluate.

Begin your new chapter, today.

²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; ²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Ephesians 4:22-23 KJV