At the beginning of the year, I wrote about my antipathy for New Year’s resolutions, instead opting for a word of the year. This word would become my North Star, my guiding light for 2024.
I selected Reimagine.
Words matter, but it’s funny how one word can generate so much change. This word has altered the way I think of myself, the way I speak about myself, and the things I do. Reimagine is a bold word. It’s not a tinkering around the edges, fiddling with the dial, or smudging the chalk kind of word. It’s a rip up the page and start again kind of word. It means throwing away the pencil and grabbing the paintbrush—tossing the safe nude lip balm and grabbing the brazen red lipstick.
It’s daring and bravery and audacity all wrapped up in nine little letters.
Is it too big a leap?
Midlife crises are a dull trope, the stereotypes beyond cringe-worthy. We know about the divorces, the flings with much younger partners, the gold chains and Porches, the breast enhancements and rosé lunches. Is that too much?
It’s certainly too something.
But what about a genuine reimagining? What about living one story and then imagining yourself in another? Nothing salacious, not something you’ll look back on with regret.
Something unexpected that scares you half to death.
Where can you reimagine your life this year? I can’t imagine (ha!) that I’m the only one considering the notion. I’d love to hear what you have planned.
I’ll go first.
After I wrote Don’t Fight Mad: A Black Belt’s Quest to Recapture Joy in 2021, I pegged myself as a memoirist and essayist. I hadn’t written fiction since high school and had no plan to start again.
But then one day I started messing around writing a character named Azalea. And before I knew it, she’d starred in a novel. And her three friends, Sara, Susana, and Lauren all demanded their own stories. I fought back a bit—I’m not a novelist, I groused.
But I was wrong. Instead, I have fallen in love with telling the stories of these women facing contemporary struggles like careers, divorce, parenting, aging, and second chances at love.
And so the Blooming series was born.
The first of the four books launches on Saturday, May 4th. It’s titled Bread Pudding in Barcelona and, if you happen to be on the central coast of Florida that day, I’d love to meet you in St. Augustine where I’ll be signing books—and sharing some great bread pudding! If you’re not located in our little slice of Paradise, you’re welcome to join me on Instagram Live later in the day where I’ll read a bit from the book.
This woman isn’t exactly who I envisioned back in 2021 but this reimagining thing, while scary as hell, is also kind of invigorating. And with my black belt test in June, it means I will enter July as an 8th degree black belt romance author.
Turns out reimagining is also really, really funny.
How might you reimagine yourself today? Come join me. Let’s be brave together.
You show the way Cindy! 🙌
Reimagined as a best seller author? Hell Yes Cindy! And add that 8th level black belt too? Why not? I can hardly wait to hold my copy of Bread Pudding In Barcelona. You go girl.