My husband bought me a fabulous book for my birthday. I can’t put it down. It speaks to me. It excites me. I rip through the pages, devouring the content, smelling the wonderful aroma of the pages, inspired to write. Yes, I think. I’m not weird, at least one other person knows how I feel.

The book I’m reading is called, Bird by Bird : Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott. I feel so happy reading it, as if someone else understands this compelling need to write. But, what hits me most are the words of Anne Lamott’s father, as Anne describes in the introduction of her book, “‘Do it every day for a while,’ my father kept saying. ‘…Do it as a debt of honor. And make a commitment to finish things.'” I can do that. In fact, I’m doing that right now. I don’t need to write it all right now, just a little each day.

My only regret is that I didn’t start writing sooner. I wrote creative stories as a kid, I have written sporadically in my journal, I love to tell stories, and I love to make people laugh. But, until recently, I have not had the courage to write for others. In fact, by not formally publishing my blog or telling people outside my family that I am starting to write, I am fooling myself into thinking I am still only writing for myself. That is okay, isn’t it? It’s a start.

Yes, that’s all it takes. A start. One baby step…sprinkled with a dash of encouragement and a bit of stick-to-itiveness.

You can do anything you put your mind to with this recipe.

Tomorrow, no today…right now. Do one little thing you’ve either been putting off or think you cannot do. Make that call. Send that email. Start that project, even if it’s just writing a list of what you think you need to do to complete your project. Spend just five minutes. You can do it and you’ll be glad to did. Let me be your encouragement, like Anne Lamott was for me today.

Thank you to Anne for writing such a wonderful book. And thank you to my wonderful husband for believing in me and encouraging me. I love you, honey!