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Nicola J Rowley

Author Nicola J Rowley

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Communications expert Surrey

An Odd Week

by Nicola Jane Rowley

I’m sure for many of you who are UK based in particular, it’s been a bit of a strange week with snow days and juggling childcare and the like.

At this end it has been no different, but it’s also been a defining week in terms of me knowing exactly what I don’t want.

You see on one of the days that nursery was shut, there was a point where J told me, “Mummy I don’t love you any more…”

It’s not exactly the kind of thing you want to hear on any level. But he’s three and while it broke my heart, I completely understood where he was coming from.

In his defence, I was knee-deep in work, which couldn’t just be switched off or put down, and he just wanted some quality time with me, which at that point I couldn’t give him. It didn’t help that his Dad was also knee-deep in work, and also couldn’t just stop what he was doing.

And so more now than ever it makes me want to get to the place that I need to be, because whilst I’m sure those words will come from him when he’s a teenager or as part of an argument somewhere further down the line, it stung just that little bit more, because we’re usually so close.

It’s been a reminder too that my dreams are sitting there waiting for me to take action and make them happen. If I allow myself to procrastinate and not get anywhere then I only have myself to blame.

Moving forward, one step at a time, no matter how slowly is vital if I’m to keep the momentum going.

And so I sat down last night and I made a start on an outline of a new book. A new story this time for 7-9-year-old’s. The main character is incredibly special but I already really like him, and the world that he is surrounded by, even if he’s unsure about it all right now.

Most importantly, it’s a step in the right direction.

And after I’d sat and written that outline and the first chapter – almost 1,000 words were written. I may well look at it again and think better of it, but it’s a story I’ve been thinking about for a while, and if you have an idea no matter how small, you never know where it can take you.

So I’m back to writing another chapter book. Because I know where this one ends – that was the easy part. Now I just need to work out all the rest in between as the story unfolds.

And so from a somewhat odd week, has come something new and exciting. A 9-year-old boy just imagined, is helping me to get to where I need to be.

Keep moving forward, whatever you do – one step at a time. Amazing things will happen when you least expect them to… x

The Power of Positive Thinking…

by Nicola Jane Rowley

For those of you who are getting to know me on my website or through social media, will hopefully know by now that I’m a firm believer in positive thinking.

This week has also shown me that I need a key word to focus on for the rest of the year. My key word is FAITH.

Faith that everything will work out as I truly believe it will, that amazing things will continue to happen and that everything will fall into place.

I’m going to be really honest with you. On Monday I had a bit of a wobble. There’s a job going at the BBC where I’m currently working full time and two years ago, even one year ago it would have been my dream job. And I was talking to a colleague and she said, “Oh Nicola you should so go for that.”

And I entertained it. I really did. But then in the afternoon I did a training course and I talked about what I was up to and my plans for the future. We were in a group of four and each of my colleagues who listened to what I have planned said the same thing. “Inspiring.”

I’m not telling you this to blow my own trumpet. I’m telling you this because since that moment, when I spoke to them, I drew a line in the sand. That line means that come the end of June, it’s just me and my dreams. And since that decision and having that clarity, amazing things have started to happen.

I’ve been hired by someone I really admire to be their publicist for their amazing book (it’s going to be great), I’ve had conversations with people about launches and how they can effectively communicate their brand to a much wider audience. And then the photography business has seen a real influx of new and exciting bookings both for weddings and commercial projects. All since Monday. All since I took that leap of FAITH. And we’re only on Thursday!

So yes positive attitude, sending out positive energy and maintaining a positive outlook in general, really does work.

And if you;re reading this and you’re stuck in a bit of a rut or you’ve had a bad week so far – I want you to know it won’t always be this way. It absolutely will get better.

Because when you smile – somehow the universe starts smiling back at you.

And everything begins with you… x

PS If you need strategic guidance with how to build your successful business or brand, please CONTACT ME – I’d love to hear from you. 

A Week In The Life Of A Busy Mum…

by Nicola Jane Rowley

This week has been full of incredible highs and challenges, not least because in the middle of it all J was taken ill.

He’s fine now – but a 24 hour vomiting bug helped put everything into perspective.

When I first began this journey to become a children’s author, I knew that it was what I should be doing. It’s what truly makes my heart sing. That and of course having enough time to spend with those near and dear to me, in particular my boys, mum and brother.

Staying focused has never been an issue. But combining work with being a mum and the subsequent pull on my time has been an interesting one for me to get my head around. I know that I rarely get enough sleep, and I know it’s my choice but I’d rather spend an extra precious half an hour with J than to get shut eye. It probably explains why when he comes home full of the latest cough or cold from nursery, chances are, within the week, I will have it too.

This week, as I’m sure you’re aware by now, I was featured in the Daily Mirror in a lovely article in the business section of the paper. It helps that I have contacts, having worked in PR for almost a decade. It also helps that I know what journalists are looking for.

And then there was barely time to press boost on a Facebook post about it, before J came home from nursery, white as a sheet. The poor thing was so ill. As with every little cut and bump, it was hard to see, especially as there’s little that can be done except lots of rest and Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder and a bit of Frozen thrown in for good measure. Yes he probably OD’d on TV for the first couple of days, but he was also cuddled and held close and read as many books as my newly croaky voice would allow me to get through.

Children of course have an amazing ability to bounce straight back. We saw the doctor on Thursday – she was worried. By the same time on Friday morning he went in to see her wearing his Superman mask, singing her songs. “It’s like a completely different child!” she exclaimed. James just smiled and said, “Thank you, doctor.” He never fails to make me smile.

And that was my week gone by in a flash. A great mid-week PR win, followed the next day by former X Factor winner Sam Bailey letting me know that her daughter loves James and the Amazing Gift (this really made me smile so thanks Sam). This was mixed in with a whole heap of mummy cuddles, household chores to clean and wash everything, whilst also juggling the full time day job and my photography business.

The reason for this blog is as follows:

Yes I had plans to get things done – to be able to progress the next book, to write lots for my new book aimed at 9-12 year-old’s, to blog and post a whole heap of other things.

It didn’t happen because life doesn’t always fall into a neat little plan.

And for me, being a mum will always come first. Because let’s face it, without my little inspiration, I doubt I would have been a children’s author in the first place. A writer yes, but not of children’s books.

It’s ok that life is sometimes messy, and as mums it’s not always easy but somehow by maintaining a positive outlook things just get better. I didn’t mind that between Wednesday night and Thursday morning I was woken up at 11pm, 00:30am, and 2:20am and then was up for work at 5am.

In the end I didn’t make it in to the office as he was crying out for me and the sickness was still on-going.

But, and here is the but, it’s ok for us to not be able to achieve everything at once. I did what I could, and juggled lots of proverbial plates with as much of a smile as I could muster. Oh and just for the record – I still didn’t miss a single deadline.

And with that positive mind-set, new and exciting opportunities are starting to come along.

I can’t wait to share everything with you but in the meantime, even if you feel that you’re not getting where you want to be in the time that you have, please know that it’s ok.

All you can do is your best.

Try smiling through it too.

Because let’s face it, if you look for the best in any situation, things can only get better… x

PS Are you struggling to juggle everything, and would like a hand with your PR, copyrighting or blogging for your business? If so, I’d love to hear from you so please CONTACT me here.