I’m writing from a Waffle House on the south side of Nashville, getting ready to take off toward Chatanooga. I can’t help feeling very proud of myself for having made it this far, although it has taken awhile. I’ve stopped in some crazy places to do two things: sleep and complete projects for clients. The rebellious feeling in my gut is really turning into positive energy. Ha-ha! Here’s mud in the eyes of those who thought I was a little “off” for taking on this trip. (I know you were thinking it, and that’s okay.)
The first night, I slept in my meticulously arranged bed in the back of the Jeep, surrounded by luggage. I had worried about how to screen out snoops while I slept, but the problem was mostly solved the instant I cleared a spot to sleep by piling suitcases and tubs along the sides. I even got some work done from my reclining position back there. My iPad was playing soft Norah Jones to soothe me. Slept like a baby in the back parking lot of a Holiday Inn in Columbia, MO. I felt extra rebellious for having sidestepped the price of a hotel room.
When I woke up the next morning, my Jeep was covered with snow, but by the time I rearranged the back end for travel and checked my email, the windows were clear. Its a good thing, because I couldn’t find the ice scraper. If I’m lucky, I won’t need that thing for the next three or four months. Yesterday, I worked from a Denny’s near the Holiday Inn, from a McDonald’s in Nashville, IL, where I also took a nap, and from the driver’s seat in another McDonald’s parking lot. I almost hate to say I’m depending on McDonald’s for food and space, but the are so darn handy! And cheap. Can you blame me?
As I drove through Kentucky and into Tennessee in the darkness of night, I knew I was missing some extraordinary scenery and almost regretted not traveling by day. However, this leg of the trip is not about site seeing. It’s about transitioning–from married to single, from a lone freelancer to owner of a multi-writer business. I had held several sessions by phone with writers, a sales acceleration specialist and a potential client, all while speeding down the Missouri and Kentucky Interstates. Yup. That’s pretty rebellious, and I feel like I’m making true progress toward my goal of becoming a writing “company.”
I pulled into a Ramada this morning about 4:30, stayed up until 6:00 a.m. working, and then got some much needed sleep. The good thing was I had spent all my energy by that time. I felt satisfied with my day, and ready to slow down and rest. Slept like a baby.
The one thing I hope you take away from this blog post is permission to be rebellious. What is important to you? If you could chuck it all and cast off other people’s opinions of you, what would you do with your life? You still have to make a living, but could you do it your way? Could you be the rebel you want to be, in your own special way? What’s holding you back? I know all about it. I’ve held back for 52 years, and now I refuse to. So far, it’s paying off.
