Along the way, there have been tests and many more to come. I’ve met and made allies and enemies. There have been ordeals and showdowns. Difficulties have been the norm. My worst fears have trickled in here and there. Sometimes it floods everything. When we survive this, we are heroes and should give ourselves more credit than we do. The reward is knowledge, experience, and insight that equates to wisdom in the long run. I put my struggles in a noble context. The trials and tribulations I have faced and survived may not seem heroic. But knowing that I grow as a result, that it can make me a better person, makes it easier to relax and sit in the moment wiser for the time. And without needing to explain it away, either. That’s what I call bravery.
Category: Eric’s Blog
I blog to document my journey and commit to having a point of view, which improves my thinking, my attitude, and my trajectory.
Freelancer seeks a skilled assistant
I am a freelance writer and marketer, and I’m seeking a skilled tech assistant.
I am looking for a reliable and skilled assistant who can help me with some technical tasks related to websites, blogs, and email.
Specifically, I need someone who can assist me with the following:
- Editing and revising pages on a WordPress website
- Setting up an opt-in form in Aweber and creating an RSS feed to email
- Making a WordPress blog more Google-friendly by connecting it to Google Search Console
- Installing Google Analytics on a WordPress website and setting up a site map
- Creating attractive graphics using Canva.
Ideally, I’m looking for someone to work with me on Zoom. I want to share screens and collaborate on some tasks while others may be independent. I am looking for someone friendly, professional, and who has experience with these tasks.
Please let me know if you are interested and available to work with me. Or if you happen to know of someone you can refer, I’d appreciate that too.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Use my contact form to express your interest.
Barefoot grateful script
I have an idea I could pursue, and I’m sharing it here to put it in writing for
1). to remember this idea for myself and
2). for you to have it and run with it.
3). to practice writing a script, which I’ve seen advertised on freelance job boards.
This would look like a video or an audio short.
It’s called Barefoot Grateful, and the idea is to replace an unhealthy habit (marijuana smoking) with a healthier habit (grounding, gratitude, and breathwork).
[Eric is standing outside, with bare feet on the grass]
Eric: Hello, this is Eric L. Walker, and welcome to day 2 of my 60-day journey of not smoking marijuana. As part of this journey, I’ve decided to trade my habit of smoking marijuana for a healthier practice.
[Eric takes three deep breaths]
Eric: Instead of smoking weed, I’m grounding myself by putting my bare feet on the earth and taking three intentional deep breaths. Doing this allows me to connect with myself and nature and appreciate the fresh air around me.
[Eric pauses for a moment to reflect]
Eric: I’d like to share something positive with you. Today, I’m grateful for my health and the opportunity to make positive changes in my life. I pray for strength and determination to continue this journey, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
[Eric smiles]
Eric: If you’d like to join me in this practice, all you need to do is kick off your shoes and put your bare feet on the earth. Take three deep breaths and share something positive with yourself or someone around you. It’s a healthy practice that can bring you closer to yourself by doing something intentionally and helping you cultivate gratitude.
[Eric takes one last deep breath]
Eric: So until tomorrow, I’m Eric L. Walker, sky-gazing, sunbathing, grounding in, growing in gratitude and grace. Thank you for joining me today, and I hope to see you again tomorrow.
Choose the right hills to climb
If my success is a progression of challenging yet surmountable hills to climb, then choosing hills that are not too easy nor too difficult is essential to achieve my goals. Be it in my career or personal life. So I seek to balance setting realistic goals and pushing myself out of my comfort zone to achieve growth. With each successfully conquered hill, I can gain confidence and momentum to climb even higher.
Perfect solution
The perfect solution to your money problems; health problems; relationship problems; or whatever problems don’t appear out of the blue. It’s challenging to start working toward solutions when you don’t know what the end looks like. That’s when you get stuck. My advice is to start down the wrong path right now because I’ve been there so many times. It’s messy, but if you start moving immediately, you cannot help but improve. It’s a series of intricate moves, but you’ll find your way back to where you belong. Go now!
Impact
The people who have left a lasting impact on my life aren’t usually in a position of power or authority. Anyone, irrespective of their social status, has the potential to inspire and uplift others.
The individuals who have encouraged me, supported me, and believed in me have been my peers, friends, or even strangers. Let’s recognize that everyone has the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Being kind, empathetic, and supportive can create opportunities for others to succeed and achieve their goals.
Furthermore, when I think of the people who have impacted my life — a teacher, a friend, a mentor, an uncle… These people made a difference, and they continually did it, not just something they told me once. I realize that change happens when I seek to be less influential and more impactful.
Forward motion
As someone who has worked as a general employee, manager, school teacher, and independent freelancer, I know that the key to success is consistent forward motion. As a freelance marketer and content creator, I partner with owners, directors, decision-makers, and influencers to create forward motion, whether they have a specific goal or are simply adrift. We can achieve this forward motion by committing to a project and owning the work.
Focusing on the work and avoiding distractions is essential to keep moving forward. Whether I need to take the lead or work collaboratively, understanding the difference I can make is critical to my success.
I’ve learned that generosity is essential in building solid relationships with others with whom I share the vision. I can attract the right connections and build a supportive network of connections by sustaining that generosity over time.
Another vital aspect of forward motion is the power of connection. To make progress, we must be willing to partner with others and build strong relationships, which is an integral part of any project.
Creating value in the marketplace is the best way to gain forward motion. It may take some time, but patience and persistence will attract the right opportunities and connections.
Ultimately, forward motion requires a deep commitment to the work, a willingness to connect with others, and a belief in the power of what you’re doing. Since deciding to re-engage as a freelancer in September 2022, I’ve understood these principles’ importance. I am excited to continue on this journey of growth and progress.
Growth we can’t see
I mark the walls to progress my kid’s growth. Sometimes they don’t seem to grow. Other times, they’re shooting upward. It’s the same for our personal or professional progress. Sometimes we can see and measure it. Other times, we feel stuck in place. Just because the things we can see with the naked eye aren’t trending upward doesn’t mean we aren’t growing. The growth we can’t see is the making of us.
50% custody, 100% dad
Although my children’s other parent and I share equal physical and legal custody (50/50), I am fully committed to being a father and being involved in my children’s lives even when they aren’t physically with me.
This means I prioritize spending quality time with them when I have them and staying involved and engaged in their life even when they are not physically present. It means I am committed to providing my children emotional support, guidance, and stability, regardless of custody arrangements.
50% Custody, 100% Dad means I have made doctor and dental appointments, and I have researched and pursued other vital matters such as braces or not, such as speech therapy, and who to call. I have signed each of the children up for sports and purchased the necessary equipment for said sports, and attended every game. I have coached my son’s football team. I have been involved in my children’s academic progress. I have spoken with teachers about matters. I have attended conferences. I have created one-on-one play dates. I have followed up on themes that enrich each child. I have purchased clothing and shoes as necessary. I have made it a priority to arrange my schedule so that I am available. I take them to school each morning and pick them up in the afternoon. And now it’s Sunday, and I’m playing board games in the living room while watching the meatloaf in the oven.
“50% custody, but 100% dad” expresses my dedication to being an active and engaged father, regardless of custody arrangements.
I love them! They are worth 100% of my commitment.
Send a card to someone you appreciate in the mail
Not a text, not a DM on social, not an email. Not even a phone call. This is an envelope with a stamp the delivery person brings to your mailbox.
Imagine the recipient of said note when they check their mailbox. Unsuspecting of this remarkable communication they are about to receive.
Typically, they would sift through credit card offers, coupons, and ads. Nothing unusual or exciting. Nothing to take notice of.
Yet on this particular day, mixed in with the junk mail, is the envelope from you. Something different.
You now have their attention.
The pull of this envelope is more potent than a 15-second Tic Tok video and more urgent than scrolling news headlines. Almost nothing on a screen can compete with your note.
They will even put their phone down. Opening the envelope requires two hands.
Congrats, you have cut through the noise. And you’ve done so with the most authentic intentions.
Curious. They waste no time opening the envelope. Then read something you wrote just for them, which feels positive and uplifting, and they feel appreciated.
In that moment of appreciation, they have zero negative feelings. They are filled with goodness. You have just made their moment.
This gesture may cause the grateful recipient to perform a similar act and pass it forward.
The simple act of following up on your kindness promptings will change the world.
Imagine if you made this five-minute habit a daily practice and wrote something worth sending daily for a year. One person at a time, day after day. It compounds.
- Would this make a positive difference in the world? Your world?
- Could this be the righteous act that conscientiously objects to taking sides, joining tribes, or making others wrong?
- Could this be the path of positive resistance you’ve been looking for?
I believe it’s worth a try. I have started and stopped and started again with this practice.
I can report that this happy habit won’t just rock the world of others but also your world. With consistent practice, your attitude, your ideas, and your entire trajectory will begin to improve.
Before you know it, you’ll be looking for the good in your daily encounters, and when you’re looking for the good, it’s impossible to be looking for the bad simultaneously.
If you’re the type of person that looks for the good, the good will find you. You become more “attractive.”
Let’s say you decided to try this for a week. Seven consecutive days. Who would be the first recipient, and what would you communicate?