Attitude and Success (at the Zoo and Beyond)

May 28, 2015 | Coleen Patrick

According to a recent article at Time.com, the number one thing that holds people back from success is…

*half-hearted drumroll*

ATTITUDE.

*sigh*

I SO get this.

There are days I know I need to rally. I want to rally.

But then you know, you’re tired.

Anyone else up for being carried around?

Or distracted. Somewhere else.

I’m sure you’ve seen this before.

Or felt this:

You’re frustrated. You’ve lost your focus.

You need an attitude metamorphosis.

So get ready.

Here’s some baby attitude to get you started.

It’s go time.

**Thank you to the lovely creatures at the Richmond Metro Zoo, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, and the ones I’m related to (note: not the giraffe, I don’t have that graceful of a neck) for their camera ready looks.

Happy Thursday!

Any of you lovelies have a tried and true method for regaining your spunky attitudes??

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

March 18, 2013 | Coleen Patrick

This weekend I watched the play, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, THREE times.

Three times? Was I studying the play for easy peasy book marketing tips?

No, although I’d do that for a play called How to Clean Your House Without Really Trying. 🙂

I watched because my son played the role of personnel manager, Mr. Bratt, in his high school’s performance of How to Succeed.

This was his first play. From auditions, to the last night of the play’s run, my son seemed to experience every emotion, from self-doubt to walking on sunshine excitement.

And every minute of it I was so proud (even the moments where I had to break out my “Just Keep Swimming” speech).

His experience reminded me that no matter how difficult the road is, we can’t forget to allow ourselves to experience the joys along the way.

Savoring the Joy of the Accomplishment

Here’s a snippet of his character’s song, A Secretary is Not a Toy.

What joys are you savoring this week?

Have a great week!

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Adventure Agenda:Get the Most Out of Life

December 31, 2012 | Coleen Patrick

Kids, do not try this at home. All stunts performed by a ~~free-spirited~~ professional tour guide.

With the new year upon us, I want to send out an extra special thank you for stopping by and sharing in this adventure with me. You all add heaps of sparkle to this journey and I am SO grateful.

So here’s to getting the most out of life. Whether your adventure agenda for 2013 includes dangling your legs over the Grand Canyon or making room in your day for afternoon tea (yes please), here’s to a happy, healthy, successful and peaceful new year.

Wishing you all the best,

Gettin’ Lucky

November 14, 2011 | Coleen Patrick

Last week I got a Tweet telling me I won another book, which brought my book winning total in the last couple of months to seven.

My husband told me it was time for me to play the lottery, because apparently I was experiencing a lucky streak.

“Luck affects everything; let your hook always be cast; in the stream where you least expect it, there will be a fish.” -Ovid

So, luck is success born out of chance, not just something indigenous to the Irish.

IRELAND, LAND OF THE LUCKY.

Although my father in law once handed me cash just because I was standing next to him in a casino when he won. He said his good fortune was due to my presence ie,“luck of the Irish.”

Still I may need to rethink the “I’m Irish” heading on my next batch of queries.

But luck is more than just a matter of chance. In fact I think the real clue to luck in Ovid’s quote is: Let your hook always be cast.

Because luck usually requires some effort.

“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
Thomas Jefferson

Seven books didn’t just fall out of the ether. There was a little work–I entered contests.

Although I did get one of the books from the very generous author Barry Lyga, simply because I’m a blogger.

Or Irish (I’m kidding, Barry Lyga is not profiling Irish writers).

No, the real reason Barry sent me a book was because I saw one of his Tweets that read something along the lines of Free books to bloggers!

So while “art depends on luck and talent,” as Francis Ford Coppola once said. It also requires effort like Thomas Jefferson so wisely put.

Like say spending some time in a casino, sidling up next to the Black Jack table wearing my VIP badge, Very Irish Person.

Or, entering that Breaking Dawn premiere contest.

Maybe. But I do know that I can’t win if I don’t try.

I’ve got to put in some effort if I want to see Taylor Lautner -–uh, I mean the older actor who plays Bella’s father.

A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck. –James A. Garfield

Do you think some people are just lucky in life?

Drop me a comment below and you could win a SIGNED copy of Barry Lyga’s GOTH GIRL RISING (result determined by random, or is it?)

***Congrats to Karen McFarland who won last week’s giveaway of WHAT WOULD MY CELLPHONE DO?***