Beyond Avoidance - #reverb10

What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?)

Today is the first day I'm participating in "Reverb10," the project I blogged about yesterday, in which we bloggers answer the prompted question as a way of reflecting on 2010 and preparing for 2011.

I'd have to give myself a big pat on the back in this area. One of the main themes of my book, The Laptop Dancer Diaries, is to face fears or insecurities and step out of your comfort zone. So I'm going to start by talking about what I did do, even though I was scared, worried, unsure, or busy.

I published a book!
I threw myself a big 50th birthday / book release / love party.
I asked my friends and family to be my virtual running buddies when I ran a marathon.
I fell in love.
I had the courage to break up when I knew he wasn't in love with me.
I got back out there and started dating again.
I surprised my Dad with a visit for his 75th birthday.
I held his hand as he took his last breath.
I let my son take me on a road trip in order to help him learn to drive.
I competed on a reality WhoDunIt show.
I loved a friend who was dying of Lou Gehrig's disease.

So what didn't I do? I didn't really market my book as much as I could have. And I had really hoped to write a second book about love.

I know those of you who read my blog are thinking, "She didn't market her book? Are you kidding? Almost every post has a link to The Laptop Dancer Diaries! She threw herself a book release party, for goodness sakes!"

It is true... I did a fair amount of self-promotion. (This post being a great example of feeling way too "Yay me," but (here's where a lot of people may push the unsubscribe button, so I'm hesitant to say it) I will probably do more in 2011... I have really wanted to become a "love guru" and write a second book: "Lessons of Love from a Laptop Dancer," and let's face it, if you want to be a discovered writer, you have self-promote.

I'm also kind of a social-media addict, so in 2011, I want to use a lot of the techniques I've been reading about to get more traffic for my blog... Maybe even have a newsletter. I'd also really like to try and get more comments on my blog so feel free to help me out! (Even if you just write a token comment like,"Yup!" I will be very happy!)

What else? I hope I will give at least as much as I receive... listen at least as much as I speak... run off at least as many calories as I overeat...

But the number one thing that I hope I will always do is love freely. (Duh! How else will I ever become a "love guru?") (Note: I'm not talking about the '60's definition of "free love..." )

In the words of St. Francis:

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.