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Scarlett Swims and Other Amazing First-Time Adventures!

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The first time for anything is usually both a rush of anxiety and exhilaration. This past month I was blessed with many first adventures!

First, I had the privilege to meet and study under Hank Phillippi Ryan, A USA Today best-selling author, multiple Emmy winner, and most recently author of 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑾𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅 – if you enjoy a heart-pounding thriller this book should be your next escape!

Also, this past June, I had the opportunity to debut in two publications. First, as a guest blogger with The Plaid Horse, a premier North American equestrian magazine both in print and on-line. The article called, Just say, Yes! Click to Read, is a story with a message to inspire others; take a chance at any age!


My article, The Nightmare Beach Ride, appeared in On the Bit magazine, The article is a true story about an overzealous equestrian (me) on a dream-beach-vacation ride turned almost disaster. Although humorous, the underlying message is to educate those seeking an adventuresome horsey-vacation.

To add to the excitement, Misty Adamson, editor and innovator of On the Bit, published an extensive bio/review on my novel Spurred to Justice, followed with a YouTube discussion. We would love readers to follow the link and join in! Thank you, Adamson Equestrian. Click on any underlined item to Link!

And if you love horses or need a gift for an equine lover consider a subscription to either of these publications.

On a personal note, June was fulfilled with a surprise visit from my daughter at the bay! And Scarlett, her four legged pal was in heaven. With my daughter’s coaching – Scarlett SWIMS for the very first-time!
I am ready for a revolutionary July! Wishing you a month filled with family, fun and some adventures of your own!

Try something for the first time: a new haircut at Rubee Z Salon, a new hobby or anything you have dreamed of but been afraid to try!

Alicia

If you haven’t read one of my books or articles dive in for the FIRST TIME and write a review! I would love to hear from you. aliciastephensmartin.com

An adventure of four women who reunite in friendship through their love of horses. Look for the coming sequel soon!

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What’s Your Heart Dream?

Leave a Comment / Author, Celebrate, Determination, Finding Hope in a Bad Haircut During a Winter Freeze, horses, Humor, Inspirational, Journey, Mentor, middle-age, passion, Publish, Visual, women /

This week Demi Stevens of Year of the Book posed a question: What is standing in the way of reaching your dream? I didn’t have to over-tax my brain because as I stated before, Demi’s questions miraculously seem to be a message aimed at me each week. This morning (and this may change tomorrow) my answer to what is standing in my way, is Zero. Not the number, the word. Zero in. Zero in on what exactly is my own personal heart dream.

Heart dreams can change over a lifetime, especially if you are shushly. In my family we have our own language called Stephenese, and Shushly is an adverb my parents and grandparents called me repeatedly. And not just in my youth.

Like many artists, my train of thought is more like a spaceship orbiting at light speed. In my youth, I zipped from one project to another leaving a trail of crumbs, paint splatters, and cuttings from my latest creative venture. They tried to follow my space dust armed with a rag or broom hollering, “You are so dang shushly.”

Adulthood has not transformed my habits, just the size and expense of my projects. I have dabbled in everything from farming to football, knitting to scuba diving, college to hairdressing, horses and invention of all kinds. And yes, I have managed a very successful career as a stylist, salon owner, and teacher.  But writing, my heart dream, has been held at bay because of my shushly ways.

After my recent interview with Guy McLean, internationally renowned horseman, I published Follow your Horse’s Heart. I realized I need two guidelines in order to zero in. Determine what is my heart dream? Then let go. Let go of the shushly in my life. Zero in. Because I am running out of time.

I am in my fifties and I have managed to evade writing. For some reason I fight it. Sure, I have published a few articles, received a degree in Creative Writing, have bins and baskets of journals throughout my house, read books, have taken courses and joined organizations… but to follow my heart dream I must zero in.

Letting go is difficult, but I can come back and just maybe all those extra dreams will be even better. My heart searches to be fulfilled. So button down the hatches, Alicia, this spaceship is zeroing in!

What’s your heart dream?

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