Get Out of Your Head and Into Your life

"You must first accept that while there are things that have happened in your life that you had no say in, YOU are 100 percent responsible for what you do with your life in the aftermath of those events. ALWAYS, every time, no excuses.” - Gary John Bishop

I am reading, well actually, listening, to a book on Audible called Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life I'm only about halfway through but this book is a real kick in the butt.The ideas are not new, and Gary is not a soft and fuzzy hugs all around kind of guy, but does a great job  telling us to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and ACT. If you don't like something, change; change how you view it or act change the situation.

We all have good intentions, grand ideas and plans but......

We are not our thoughts, we are what we DO. 

Bishop insists that we need to act on those thoughts and dreams, starting in the tiniest of ways if need be, even if we don't feel like it.When we choose not to act, we have to face the fact that we're not willing to move toward what we really do want. Inaction IS an action and can be debilitating, and have a domino effect, leading you deeper toward what you don't want. You may feel safe and protected in your inaction but it is not serving you.

I hadn't planned on writing a book review, "pep talk" when I started this post but his words have had an impact on me. There's nothing in this book I have not heard before but his language and words are to the point and basically tell us life is short and YOU are the key to changing it if you are not happy where you are in it! 

Here are some more quotes....

“Remember, everything is solve-able, and if you can’t see a solution, it only means you haven’t worked it out yet.”  

“You have the life you’re willing to put up with.” 

“Positive self-talk can dramatically improve mood, boost confidence, increase productivity, and more. Much more. In fact, as evidenced by Professor Hart and his studies, it can be one of the key components to a happy, successful life. The bad news is, the reverse is also true: Negative self-talk can not only put us in a bad mood, it can leave us feeling helpless. It can make small problems seem bigger – and even create problems where none existed before. Here’s the breaking news, your self-talk is fucking you over and in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.” 

Some takeaways.....

-You could change your life overnight if you gave up the idea that other peoples' opinions matter. Be willing to be judged by others and not let it get to you. 

- No one can read your mind. Say what's on it. Share your plans and ideas. That thing that's making you crazy, might not be on their radar. They could be completely oblivious.
- Even when you don't see anything happening, it is. Even when you're not quite hitting the mark, you're making progress. Doing the mental work and shifting your actions accordingly, sets things in motion.

 Uncertainty is where things happen; it's your personal pathway to growth. 

 images copyright Shelagh Duffett

CATalphabet! It's here!!

Soooo, drum roll please.... At long last, I would like to introduce you to CATalphabet!!

My first children's book! I am very happy with it and know you will enjoy it too! There was a giant learning curve to getting this accomplished. I self published it and am still learning the ins and outs. Now the marketing starts:)

CATalphabet! is a storybook book full of cats and letters of the alphabet. Jonathan Mills and I had a TON of fun writing the verse. We tried to make it super entertaining to read and full of interesting words and concepts to spark conversation and learning opportunities. Some letters of the alphabet were just written for the joy of reading it aloud, like the letter R!

There are twenty-six beautiful full colour illustrations each one featuring cats. Every letter of the alphabet also gets it's turn:) Some of my favourite paintings are included. 

Here are some Amazon.com and Amazon.ca reviews!

"Fun for kids big and small. HIGHLY recommend!
Lots of fun with alphabetical alliteration and Shelagh's fantastic cat-themed folk art!! I'm a fan of Shelagh's "folk art" cat paintings (the one for D is one of my favs) and this is great way to get a collection of her work along with a "bonus" teaching tool (or a teaching tool with "bonus" artwork)."

"Shelagh has deftly captured cats at their whimsical best through her vibrant illustrations. As a teacher, I know this book will be a welcome addition to any Primary level reading program. Kids will want to read it again and again to experience the delightful alliteration that makes reading this book to and by children a joy. Handy for car rides and great for memory work too, as you can query what cat did which activity. This book is sure to become a treasured work of art, beloved by readers of all ages. Kudos to the author and artist!"

"What a beautifully illustrated witty and whimsical book to have fun reading out loud to kids and the young at heart. I plan to gift a few of these to some cat lovers I know! For those that love art and quality illustrations, you will really appreciate the work that went in to this book."

"Ms. Duffett's lively illustrations are well matched with the book's whimsical prose; a great buy for cat-lovers of all ages!"

"Fun for kids big and small. HIGHLY recommend!
Lots of fun with alphabetical alliteration and Shelagh's fantastic cat-themed folk art!! I'm a fan of Shelagh's "folk art" cat paintings (the one for D is one of my favs) and this is great way to get a collection of her work along with a "bonus" teaching tool (or a teaching tool with "bonus" artwork)."

 

This book is available across many online book platforms (Amazon,Indigo, Barnes noble etc) and also as a Kindle, Kobo,tablet download.

BUT...if you would like a SIGNED copy with two postcards from the book, ... you can order a copy here from my etsy store! Thanks so much!

http://www.AliceinParis.etsy.com or email me at Shelaghduffett@gmail.com with any questions or suggestions... xo

Coincidental Connections

 

This is my art on the cover of Lesley Crewe's latest book! 

Mary,Mary published by Nimbus Publishing 

Totally cool happenstance. I sell my work on a few "Microstock" sites and pretty much forget that I have art and images out there that are selling worldwide. I never know where they go. Well, sometimes I have stumbled across one or two, most notably one on Jamie Oliver's   website and the Philadelphia International Flower show used one on their poster, Oh and one was published in a book on Fashion through the Ages....and then there was a journal company in Brazil that used one, and one was used in a school textbook published in Hong Kong. (hmm I guess I know of more than I realized)  I get a check every few months and that is great, and I go back to my forgetting..

A couple of months ago I got an email from the Art Director at Nimbus which is an Atlantic Canada based publishing company. She told me she had picked my art for the cover of Lesley's' new book and not to be surprised when I start seeing it in bookstores and ads. She had chosen it from a Microstock site where images can be from anywhere in the world, liked liked mine  a lot and purchased it. She decided to research the creator and was delighted to discover I was a LOCAL artist!!  What a nice surprise to discover I was just down the street!

So I now have a copy ready to read thanks to Heather Bryan the art director. Lesley Crewe found me also as a result and now is a facebook friend and has some of my prints to brighten her wall! Happy all round.... 

Catalphabet!! A Book in the Making....

I've been working away on a children's book recently. An alphabet primer called Catalphabet. It  has been a really fun project and harder than one might imagine. Alliteration that is interesting, not too simple and relates to the pictures takes work:) Fun though.

I made a VERY rough mock up to see if it might actually work as a book and yes, I am pleased with it. I've shared it with a few people and they have had positive things to say. With an editor and proper layout it will look great! I am trying to decide whether to self-publish, look for an agent or contact a publishing company directly. Wondering if any of you reading have experience or advice? I have talked to a few people already and am still weighing pros and cons. Any advice??

ALSO.....this is happening in two weeks! People are registering (Yay!) so if you want a spot, act soon!!! REGISTER HERE  or email me if you prefer not to register online or have any questions.