Tag: The Bootmaker's Wife

Living a Black, Gray, and White Life

by Mershon Niesner

Life is full of ups and downs, the only way to make the journey worthwhile is if you enjoy the good and learn from the bad. Natasha Potter, author

Everyday, I wear the bracelet pictured below. It reminds me that life is a mixture of dark days (black bead); regular, everyday days (gray); and extraordinary, awe-filled days (white). 

Elizabeth Horn, my great grandmother, and the main character in the book, The Bootmaker’s Wife, is gifted a similar bracelet by her friend, Angie known as The Bee Lady. The bracelet will reappear in the upcoming prequel, The Bee Lady. 

Why so much emphasis on this bracelet? It reminds me that life is ever-changing. If today feels dark, know that you’ll probably not be stuck there forever and look for the lesson. Conversely, if you’re lucky enough to experience a “white day,” savor the experience, take time to luxuriate in the wonder of whatever made that day special, and be grateful.

Affirmation: I accept the fact that life is ever-changing.

Coaching exercise:  Think of a day that was black, a day that was gray, a day that was white. Truly take in the experience of life in that moment. What did you learn? How did you show appreciation? 

Will You Embrace Discipline to Achieve Your Goals for 2023?

by Mershon Niesner

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur

One of my accomplishments in 2022 was meeting my goal of publishing a second book, a historical fiction inspired by the life of my great grandparents who were Nebraska pioneers. 

I wrote the first draft during Covid isolation, spending many enjoyable afternoons on the Nebraska prairie in 1875. Not much discipline needed at this stage and virtually no distractions. Because of Covid, I had to delay my trip to the Sand Hills, the location of most of the book, until the summer of 2021. Spending time in the space was wonderful inspiration (I even stood in a real sod house). 

The real discipline began with the rewrite. This is where the rubber meets the road and an author has to doggedly go back line after line, chapter after chapter and bring the manuscript to life. Then there’s the phase where I had to make sure there were no spelling or grammatical errors. Every book is a labor of love backed by discipline.

Affirmation: I will embrace the discipline in order to achieve my goals.

Coaching questions: What are your goals for 2023? What would you like to accomplish by the end of next year? What discipline will it take to achieve your goal? Is it worth it?

Photo taken by the author in the approximate location of the novel.

Honoring the Winter Solstice

by Mershon Niesner

May the light illuminate your hearts and shine in your life every day of the year. May everlasting peace be yours and upon our Earth. Eileen Anglin, author

Today is  the day when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt away from the sun. It is the day with the least sunlight and marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. For thousands of years, people have celebrated the solstice. 

Tonight, I’ll make a Viking Toast which is also an ancient solstice tradition. Here are the elements: 

—Boast of something you are proud of from the past year (Publishing my book, The Bootmaker’s Wife, TODAY)

—Toast a person you’d like to honor (Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his determination in the face of war)

—Make a promise for the year ahead (To fully embrace my new home)

Affirmation: I honor the Earth by celebrating the Winter Solstice.

Coaching questions: What will you boast about, who will you toast, what promise will you make? 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash