With a new year, and my committed nerve to you all, I thought maybe I should share some of my motivational music, in a confidence reminder sort of play list. After all, isn’t most motivation restarted in January?

Sometimes being courageous starts with giving yourself permission. That everything is going to be OK. Nerve can be doing something wildly new, like moving or changing careers. Or it can be as simple as just stepping through a doorway and seeing what happens from there. Either way, you need the confidence to say it will all work out or else you might chicken out from the challenge you set for yourself. I kinda know, I broke my goals into smaller ones with more manageable outcomes once I learned long ago that aiming for the moon has too many miles for self doubt to derail you. But if you treat things like it’s a mountain climb instead? Those check points don’t feel like you’ve done much, but when you look back? You can be inspired by how far you’ve come, and use it to keep going. So, yes, the first step can sometimes just be knowing you’re alright and it’s okay being in the middle, because at least you know where you are and can find your direction next.

The Middle – Jimmy Eat World

This one, yes, it gives fight energy, to keep going. But it also reminds me of the power of minuscule things. Especially now, when I try to remind myself that you guys read me and want see my writing. Those one views, those one likes across any platform? I don’t see it as low views. I see it as someone saw it. I’m not shouting to a void. I try not to focus if anyone is reading here, because I tell myself it’s more about someday, not just today. But it’s nice to know that I can be seen, and that it’s happening more than before. Proves that my fight is heading in the right direction. It’s a bit harder being a writer who doesn’t follow formula, so my genre isn’t easy for an agent, let alone a giant genre people read (some read them and don’t know that women’s fiction is an industry term, not a shelving term.) I may be a small boat in an ocean, making my tiny waves that will someday be something, but I do believe in my characters, in Tweety opening hearts with a word or two. If I haven’t given up on them for the last 15 years, it’s more of a reason to really find the courage to fight for them this year. And fighting for them? Fights for me, the author, too.

Fight Song – Rachel Platten

And with all that fight energy ready to go somewhere? Why, of course, the easy way is to turn that “I’ve got this” strength into bravery. Not just because this song hits those low moments with something concrete to battle with, but because it is when you are brave, fighting for yourself that you find yourself. Fighting you silence with honest words from your soul is the bravest act possible. Every time I challenge a character to be brave on the page, I surprise myself too. Generally, this is a “Tweety” song, because it’s upbeat pop. But it’s also for me, when I need to hear such things myself, as writing can be a lonely career where the people you most hear from are also figments of your imagination…

Brave- Sara Bareilles

It almost feels like no courageous list would be complete without the song that has been in literal fight movies, and has that beat that feels like it influences your pace if you really felt it. Talking about survival, and your passion too, this song mentions something the others haven’t yet. Simply put? Have guts, may get glory. And isn’t that a part of courage and confidence? Nothing happens without action. It’s ideas and self motivation until you get it moving, which feels like such an undercurrent theme in the Red Letters journey too.

Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor

And when you are all amped up on courage and bravery, ready to fight the world, or at least your inner demons, you definitely shouldn’t be stopped. Maybe that state of newfound nerve makes you feel like a supersonic wo/man, but you have to try. Also? Bonus points if you’re in your stride, pushing past your limits and worries, and still somehow hear that section of quick succession don’t stop me’s like they were anthems for your footsteps. Which reminds me, I should get back to those worlds I promised to share this year… They only write themselves in my head sadly, I still have to translate that to paper (and, sometimes, English, lol)

Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen