If you’re stuck or avoiding something, read this…

Core Article: If you’re stuck or avoiding something, read this…

Quote I’m Pondering: “There’s no magical, one-size-fits-all…”

Powerful Affirmations to Inspire: “I lovingly observe my thoughts…”

Cool Stuff: My favorite new daily puzzle…

If you’re stuck or avoiding something, read this…

Have you ever had that moment when you keep putting something off that you have to or want to do?

So you create a sticky note and stick it to your computer or on your desk. Or maybe it’s a calendar reminder that doesn’t get done, and you keep moving it to a new day?

Well, you know you’re not alone! Heck, it’s the first full week of January, and my to-do list is longer than I thought. How about yours?

This week, I had a moment when something I thought was far enough away suddenly became a deadline screaming at me…

That was me with timeshare points – eekkk. Why did we get and keep this thing again?

I knew I had a deadline, and I also have a life, the holidays, running my business, things I care about, and a brain that would definitely rather do anything than be deadlined with something so complicated and administrative.

So, of course, it came crashing down in one day. I had to scramble, and it is complicated to book. The rules are annoying, and the points are on the line, and I can feel my nervous system go into that familiar mode where I want to avoid the whole thing again. So I feel guilty for avoiding it, and I avoid it more. Then I want to just throw my hands up in the air and just hide under the covers.

Do you ever get like that with deadlines? Maybe it’s just me!

Well, I think this is the honest part that not a lot of people talk about…

If you’re avoiding something, procrastinating, putting something off, it’s rarely the actual “thing” or “task” that stops you. It’s what happens inside your brain when your left-thinking, left-feeling brain collides. This happens when what you’re putting off feels confusing, high stakes, or like you might mess it up. It can also be about deeper feelings of fear, frustration, and not feeling good enough.

So what do you do then?

If you’ve been there, you’ve probably tried to solve it the normal way, and I understand. It’s about white knuckling it, and more planning, discipline, adding more structure, time blocks, better rules, and “try harder.” OMG, sound familiar?

The trouble is, a lot of stuckness isn’t a time-management issue; it’s a safety issue, meaning your nervous system is reacting to the emotional weight of the project, not to the project itself.

So here’s the reframe I want you to try the next time you feel yourself resisting and procrastinating.

Instead of asking, “How do I finish this?” ask, “What is making this feel too heavy, too unclear, or too exposing to start?”

Then adjust one of these three levers.

Start smaller: Only do fifteen minutes, not an entire afternoon.
Keep it simple: Create one imperfect draft, not the final version.
Add support: What does that look like for you? Ask for help, find and use a template, tool, and create a doable deadline, find a support structure, something that guides you so you’re not doing it alone in your head.

When you do this, you’re changing many things. You’re adjusting your thoughts and behavior, creating new neural pathways in your brain.

It’s about designing conditions where action becomes possible, especially for the kind of person like you who cares deeply about doing work with integrity.

As I shared in my last eNewsletter, I’m putting a method together around this, one that helps you finally let go of procrastination and putting things off. Not that timeshare was something I wanted to put off.

Yet what was holding me back was being up against a wall, with the deadline that day. And the system was too complicated. So after I ran through the three levers, I ended up calling an agent, and it saved me so much time and grief.

The fear in my head, the angst, and knowing frustration, that’s what kept me from doing it. And by walking through and adjusting one or more of those levers, I got it done.

What I find most fascinating is why we put things off, especially when we are driven and know that we want to create that course, write that book, or launch that coaching program in a bigger way.

And that it’s not about “procrastinating,” it’s what’s going on at a deeper psychological level. Looking at what you’re afraid of, or frustrated about, or why it is you don’t want to do it.

That’s why I’m sharing this with you cuz I want you to be kinder to yourself and realize what’s stopping you is deeper under the surface.

I’d encourage you to try this exercise and let me know how you do.

Next week, I’ll share more. And you may get a few more emails from me about this method…

More soon.

Hands at your back always. 🙂

Shannon

P.S. Yep, putting the final touches on a new course to help you ease into 2026 and help you with procrastination. Especially if you’re like me and keep putting things off and aren’t sure how and why you’re struggling with momentum on the project you care about. It’s actually a psychological thing that we do to ourselves, I know, crazy right?! 😉 More to come.

Look out for a couple of emails from me during the week. So you may see me in your box more than once. Not to worry, it’s not gonna be a regular thing. I value you and your trust in me to be responsible with your email info. And you can always email me if you have questions or if you no longer want my emails. I won’t be offended, promise.

Quote I’m Pondering

“There’s no magical, one-size-fits-all solution for getting unstuck (trust me, I’ve tried pretty much everything). But building self-awareness skills to recognize when and why you’re getting stuck makes a huge difference. Once you’ve got that down, you’ll be able to better identify what feeling is holding you back from taking care of The Thing (and how to start moving forward).”
~ Dani Donovan, The Anti-Planner: How to Get Stuff Done When You Don’t Feel Like It

Powerful Affirmations to Inspire

“The universe supports my prosperity; I am worthy of all the wealth flowing easily into my life now.”
“I am worthy of extraordinary success, and I achieve every goal I set with confidence and grace.”
“I lovingly observe my thoughts without judgment, cultivating inner peace and self-compassion.”

Cool Stuff

I got this link over the holidays in Daniel Pink’s email, and it intrigued me. It’s a daily puzzle called “Revealed.“ Guessing arts and culture, person, science and tech, a place, or history and society.
Do you know the New Year always starts on January 1? Well, Julius Caesar thought January was the doorway” to a new year, but there’s more…
Is one dog year really the same as 7 human years? Well, you know what to do. 🙂

Weekly Photos

So much rain, then fog, and occasional sighting of the sun! That’s a view of the Sacramento River and the train trestle that rolls the trains into Redding, CA, where we live.
First coin of the New Year on my walk last week, then I found another one at the dam. I keep finding pennies from someone’s holey pockets. 🙂
This pic was taken yesterday. After 3 days of rain, the fog came rolling in. Took this picture out on my hike, which was more like a foggy bog. You can also see the top parts of the towers, which is kind of cool, and the sun is trying to creep through.
There’s Alice and I getting windblown when we went up to see the Shasta Dam. So much rain, Lake Shasta was really high. Cool views from up there. And the water dumps into the Sacramento River that travels from here all the way down to the central valley that feeds all the farmers’ crops. It’s always good to get a bunch of rain in December-January, so there’s no water shortage for the farmers. California grows 99% of the country’s artichokes, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios. And 100% of raisins, plums, olives, lemons, and strawberries.
That’s a picture from on top of the dam looking down, and that’s where the water dumps out into the Sacramento River.
Another wider view of the water heading down the Sacramento River. The dam produces 710 megawatts of energy and powers 355k-710k homes. It provides clean, hydroelectric power and is a vital part of the Central Valley Project for water supply and flood control.
I’m gonna say it – yeah, I really love this photo because it looks like a B&W photo, my favorite. I used to have a darkroom and love B&W because of the shadows. I took this on my phone with just my regular settings, not in B&W mode. The sun was just right. Sometimes I think I love writing this eNewsletter just to share my photos with you! 🙂

P.S.S. New Invitation – I’m going to launch my next Soulful Marketing Accelerator Co-hort in late February 🙂 If you’re longing for like-minded community and ready to move through your fears to grow a purpose–driven business rooted in authenticity and aligned with your dream clients… Welllll. Go here to be first in line when I reopen the doors again. Would love to have you.

P.S.S. Whenever You’re Ready: Here are 3 Ways I can make an impact on creating greater success in your business using marketing that’s aligned with your mission and values without feeling like you’re selling your soul.

1. Make Money Now Sheet – It’s one of the bonuses in my 7-Step Soulful Marketing System. I wanted to give it to you for free to help you create more success.

2. Love Books Like I Do? – I’m always reviewing the best nonfiction books – Where Buddha Meets Business.

3. Get my proven 7-Step Soulful Marketing System. It gives you the framework you need to implement authentic and connected marketing using online customer experiences and launching your products, services, or courses. It will help you create greater success.

It’s a simple system, especially if you love to read like me. There’s no video or audio. Plus, you get my proven templates, tools, and worksheets, all with tremendous value. And I’m pricing it incredibly low so it can be more accessible to more people. 🙂

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I appreciate your sharing. Thank you!

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