A photographer I know, Artie Dixon, is offering her beautiful second home in the North Carolina mountains for week-long vacations for girlfriends–with tour guide to the sites of the area. So no maps, planning, or GPS is required. The art-filled 1939 house in Little Switzerland is called Sky Blue, and its stone patio opens onto […] Read More

My first-ever Big Bold Sale on my critiquing services, announced here three days ago, is getting a terrific and very gratifying response: lots of writers I haven’t worked with before, some interesting and talented and quick-to-take-action folks from all over the country, have been touch. Not every bold experiment works out well, as we all […] Read More

The new July issue of Success Magazine (the one with “GO FOR BOLD” in orange type on the cover) has a simple, effective idea in its list of action items on the last page. Essentially it’s this: in planning your day, identify the action that would make you feel fantastic to get done today. Do […] Read More

My office partner Carrie who owns the building is having the place spiffed up and repainted. In this process several issues of boldness have arisen. Most noticeably, the front porch chair has gone from pale yellow to poppy red. And then yesterday, a wee incident raised for me some thoughts about differences in style. Carrie […] Read More

In honor of our recession, I’m having my first-ever sale. Here’s the deal: I’m offering a June-only reduced fee for all my manuscript and consulting services for writers. I’ve cut my rates by 40% for the next four weeks. For critiques on manuscripts, fiction and nonfiction, and for consultations on the writing business, I’m charging […] Read More

Went out kayaking today before hitting the computer, and now I feel wonderful. Those disciplined souls who get themselves to run in the mornings are on to something; they do get their reward for popping/dragging out of bed early. This was my first “serious” paddle of the season. I did go out once in boots […] Read More

Bold idea: Live up in the trees. Perhaps because it’s the leafy season, this idea is very appealing to me…and to others, because I keep seeing it show up on-line and off. I live in the woods (in a house) surrounded by trees. And we have a tree platform, which can help to give a […] Read More

Here’s a boldness break of a rather different sort than the laughing Buddha on the train earlier this week. (A boldness break is a brief time-out that re-juices imagination and creative courage.) “Like Streams in the Desert” is an orchestral piece composed in honor of the 50th anniversary of Israel by my friend-from-first-grade Meira Warshauer. […] Read More

In answer to: “how do we hide our fears?” a question posed in the comments by Debbie, I did a bit of research. I suspect there are many more items that could be added. *Misplaced anger is a method that gives the illusion of control and safety. More on this from psychology professor Jennifer Freyd […] Read More

Watch how this guy transforms the dour crowd in a subway car. You’d think, at the start of the film, that these people were on their way to their execution. Not so. The film is 6 minutes and 47 seconds that will embolden your day. Made by Belgian director Christine Rabette in 2003. The actual […] Read More