Midweek Musings: Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone. 📦

Happy Mid-Week, Everyone!

As I sit here writing this post, remembering last year and thinking about everything that is still to come in the new year, I find myself feeling a little overwhelmed.

I have new opportunities and decisions to make over the next few days alone, let alone throughout the year.

One thing I’m dealing with right now is trying to move out of the “comfort zone box” I’ve placed myself in over the years.

I’ve been working with a company for the past few months to publish Dangerous Desires through IngramSpark, with distribution into stores like Walmart, Barnes & Noble, and others.
They also want to handle my marketing, which would be a HUGE help — and honestly, a bit of a relief.

Of course, there’s a catch. They charge for their services.
It’s a good deal, and they’re willing to work with me on payments.

Sounds great… right?

Well, the part of me that hasn’t quite pulled herself out of that “comfort zone box” yet is scared to take the leap.
Let’s call this part of me “Lacky.”

Lacky is very proficient at speaking in dismal tones, such as:
“You can’t do that — you don’t have the money,”
“Can these people really be trusted?”
“What if they’re scammers?”

And the negative comments from Lacky just go on and on in my head.

The other part of me — the one already climbing out of the box — is also scared, but she does her best to stay positive. She pushes back at Lacky with things like:
“They’re legit — you’re just being paranoid.”
“We can put the charge on a card.”
“I keep the full profits, and with the marketing, they seem confident the payments won’t be an issue after the first month.”

So… what do I do?

Like I mentioned in my last post, this year already feels different. Opportunities are showing up, practically begging to be grabbed, and I know that some form of marketing (any at this point) will be a good thing.

I told them I would give them an answer by Friday morning. That gives me time to research them a bit deeper, review my finances, and seek advice from trusted friends and family.
I’m not a businessperson, so I plan to talk to those who are.

If you have any words of wisdom you’d like to share, I’m all ears.
I know paying for publishing and marketing can be a big no-no, depending on the company. I’ve already done some research, but if I’m investing what they’re asking, I want to be absolutely sure.

This is my year, and I need to remember that stepping outside my comfort zone may be scary — but it’s also necessary.

I think I’m going to push Lacky out first.
What do you think?

Let’s have another week filled with hugs, love, laughter, and blessings.🫂

Good night.😴

Oh — I’ll be sharing gym updates once, maybe twice a month from now on and only a few photos until there are some changes. You don’t need to see pictures every single day (honestly, neither do I).

AND… if anyone is interested, my Toastmasters club — Harpeth View Toastmasters — is hosting its International Speech Contest and Table Topics Contest this Saturday at 7:30 a.m. Central Time.
You can join us virtually or in person. Please note, we’ll be at a different location this Saturday due to an event at our usual space.

🔗 https://hvtm.toastmastersclubs.org/

January 10 is our club contest and will be held at:
📍 12 Cadillac Drive, 3rd Floor, Brentwood, TN

Hope to see you there!