Sharing and Caring - Type 1 Heart to Heart

Hello Dear Family and Friends!

Since my last post I published another book.  I have always wanted to write children's books and also contribute writing books that really help people and make a positive difference.  I decided to write a book called Can't Dia.beat.us The Highs and Lows of Raising a Type 1 Diabetic Child.

This book shares the very real, behind the scenes life of our Type 1 Diabetic Family.  I have been contacted by families around the world thanking me for writing it and sharing that, "It's the first book that really has address the grief side of Type 1 Diabetes."  Type 1 Mom.

There are helpful resources, inspirational extension writing and thinking activities, meal ideas and more in this book.  I think it really helps people to see that we are not alone in anything we are going through.  I believe that God gives us strength to grow and learn from any situation and that he carries us when we are weak.  We don't have to know everything, but we do have to learn and progress in whatever personal journey we are going through.

For my family, writing Can't Dia.beat.us gave us all a way to share our emotions, talk about Type 1 Diabetes openly, and rekindled our fire for looking into new studies, doing cross country book tours, and connecting with other families who have Type 1, Type 2 and families who are also interested in the life we are living and the changes we have made.

For us, we travel a lot and also realized the health benefits that come from homeschooling our children.  Our Type 1 son, Wyatt, was sick every week when he attended public school.  Since we have been homeschooling him, he hasn't really be sick in 3 years.  This is helping him since he hasn't needed antibiotics, his system is getting stronger, and he is able to fight off infections and germs he is exposed to by getting more rest, and we are really able to help him eat healthy to maintain better blood sugar control combining a protein, slow carb and a fast carb for his meals.

By having our own gardens and raising our own animals, our children are getting to experience small farm life, learn valuable lessons of responsibility, safety, respect, and the results of hard work, and they have plenty of creative and free play time to explore their interests and connect with friends.

We have found that we actually have more time for volunteer activities and enrichment activities such as piano, dance, scouts and socializing with friends, because we are able to work from home as authors and educational consultants, and we balance our school time, chores, free time, and are more connected as a family.

If you haven't read Can't Dia.beat.us yet, I hope that you will and that you will share it with others as a way to be inspired, see that you are capable of so much more, and that there is no challenge you can't overcome, if you are willing to try, be courageous, and have faith.

Please ask me any questions you have and I will respond.  I look forward to connecting with you!

I just signed with a publisher for my third book, so look for more updates soon!

Trina Licavoli Gunzel
Author Visits, Courses and Resources

Type 1 Diabetes: The Silent Killer

With the recent deaths of Type 1 Diabetic diagnosed children in the news, I want to pay my respects by sharing some signs that we went through with our son when he was diagnosed.  If sharing our story helps save even one more life, it was worth it.

Wyatt was a healthy baby.  He had occasional illnesses, but usually got better quickly.  In the spring before he was diagnosed, he got pneumonia.  I seem to also remember him getting a red rash that would move around his body when he was sick, and then go away after about two weeks.  Over that same summer, he started not wanting to eat very much.  He had always been a great eater, so this was odd for him.  His stomach also seemed distended and he was constipated.  Looking back at pictures, he appears kind of puffy in his face.

My mother's instincts knew something wasn't right with my son and we had repeated visits to our doctor who sent us for all sorts of tests to try to diagnose the problem.  He suspected some type of tumor or even cancer, but nothing showed up on any scans.  This was so frustrating but NOTHING ever showed up.

Wyatt was four and had been potty trained since he was two.  That fall, he started wetting the bed and couldn't hold it when we were out, crying that he had to go to the bathroom, and we'd have to pull over on the side of the road commuting to photo shoots and run into restrooms for him.  It didn't make any sense.  He was drinking constantly so we thought maybe he was just drinking too much. We also kept asking our doctor about bladder infections, but those never showed up either.

I remember noticing sometimes that his urine would be frothy and have bubbles in it and I questioned him about drinking bath soap.  I thought that was odd, but it wasn't consistent.  Our doctor even tested Wyatt's blood sugar levels and nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

The week before Thanksgiving, Wyatt went into ketoacidosis.  He had been attending pre-school and started not feeling well the day before.  My cousin picked him up from pre-school since we were at work, and when I went to get him, he was just resting on the sofa.  He seemed like he might have been coming down with some respiratory illness and didn't seem like himself.  I remember sleeping on the floor in his room that night, so I could listen to him breath, because he was breathing pretty hard but he didn't have a fever.

The next morning, I was doing conference calls for my online class and noticed my son started to slouch over in the chair.  He was watching a show and just didn't seem right.  I called my principal and told her I had to take my son to the doctor because he was sick and we took Wyatt immediately in.  Our doctor was awesome and got our son right in because he had been suspecting something, but nothing had showed up on any test results.  When he saw Wyatt he diagnosed him immediately with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and called the hospital to admit him.  Ketoacidosis Explaination and Signs To Look For

Nobody at the hospital could believe our son had Type 1 Diabetes and they were shocked when his blood test came back over 900.  We were taken by ambulance to a larger hospital that was able to treat him and began the process of slowly having our son come back from a diabetic induced coma. It was the worst 5 days of our lives trying to learn how to take care of him before we were allowed to take him home.  We had to overcome our fear of blood, needles, and learn how to calculate carbs and insulin doses for a child afraid of shots and needles that now had to have them combined with finger pokes and doses, about 12 times per day.  It is now 7 years later and we have come a long way since that day, but we still live with high and low blood sugars that are just a part of this disease until there is a cure.  We do the best we can helping our son and want him to know how much he is loved and supported.

The every day management of Type 1 Diabetes is intense and constant.  People living with it need your support, love, and understanding.  They try not to let it stop them from doing anything, but there is extra care needed, especially for extreme exercise, eating, sleeping, doses, well...pretty much everything.  It is a life changing and life threatening condition that, if not diagnosed and treated properly, is a silent killer.  People can look fine and appear "healthy" while their organs are being damaged on the inside.

My heart and prayers go out to all the families who have lost someone to Type 1 Diabetes.  I hope sharing our story will increase awareness and add to the understanding of this silent autoimmune disease.  To all those who live and love someone with it every day, my prayers are with you for strength and courage, you are not alone.

With love,

Trina Licavoli Gunzel

A Type 1 Story, Resources, and Tips

Hello friends!
We have had a busy summer of traveling and that presents extra blessings and challenges when you are the parent of a Type 1 Diabetic.  It still surprises me how misunderstood this autoimmune disease is, so I want to share some resources and tips to help educate and encourage those living with it or who want to be supportive to loved ones who have it.

Tips:
Get to a Camp!
I know people struggling to get their blood sugar levels under control and especially when someone is first diagnosed, I cannot say enough great things about the Diabetic Youth Foundation in California.  They host many activities, but we attended Camp Bearskin Meadows and it changed our lives  You learn extra tips and strategies for management that you just won't hear anywhere else. Check it out!   Diabetic Youth Foundation

Participate in a Study!
We have and still are in studies for Type 1 Diabetes.  Our son loves to participate because it helps him to feel like he is actively getting to be part of working toward a cure.  He is wearing some of the most advanced technology today that he actually got to be part of advancing through studies that he participated in at Stanford.  When people participate in studies, this helps advance technology and ultimately works toward a cure for Type 1 Diabetes.  That is our ultimate hope and prayer, but using the best technology available and really mastering how to get the best and highest use out of it really makes a difference every day.  Participating in studies helps offset some of the costs and gets you excellent care from the best doctors.

Sharing Technology!
Our son, Wyatt, uses a Medtronic 530G pump and Enlite Sensor.  These devices talk to each other and yes, he still does about 12 finger pokes a day (at $1 a pop that's a lot to just check blood sugar), but this technology allows us to see what his blood sugar is on the pump every minute.  The best feature is that it alarms if he is going "high" or "low" and will shut off giving insulin if he goes too low. These devices have to be monitored and still manually input for blood sugars and carbs, and while it's not a thinking pancreas, it IS an external tool that has two needle sites (that are typically changed out every 4-6 days) and with careful monitoring and management, allow tighter blood sugar control.  There are many different types of pumps and sensors, this is just the one we have chosen to use.  It also works great with the Sentry device which is a screen I have by my bed so I can see and hear any alarms he has overnight.  Technology is not a cure, but it helps until there is one.

What's the Deal with Blood Sugar Anyway?
In the simplest terms, Type 1 Diabetics do not have a pancreas that works to convert food to energy anymore.  Their pancreas stopped producing insulin and they almost died when they were diagnosed. Many, like our son, had a blood sugar of almost 900 and were going into a diabetic coma when they were diagnosed.  Some people have issues with their blood sugar going up or down, but it's not the same as Type 1 Diabetics.  They MUST have insulin given through either shot or pump doses, or their blood sugar will just continue to go higher and higher and destroy their organs, especially when blood sugars remain high over prolonged periods of time.  This is a life threatening condition because they run the risk of death every day, especially at night when they are sleeping, when their blood sugar tends to go very low.  If they are not given sugar to bring them up and some carbohydrates to sustain them, they will pass away.  This is especially tricky overnight, after extreme exercise which continues to lower blood sugar levels.

I want to share this in the simplest terms I can, because many have questions about Type 1 Diabetes and want to be supportive or share their ideas.  I have seen that many of the strongest people I know are Type 1 Diabetics and while some don't want you to recognize their struggle, it is very real and it is an exhausting, constant, autoimmune disease.  There is no cure, no magic drink, no special diet that fixes it.  Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are not the same and we will never stop working toward a cure, educating others, or striving to give our son the best life we can, living with this life threatening condition every day.  We have chosen a diet that combines a protein, slow carb, and fast carb to help keep his blood sugars stable, but if we are at a birthday party, yes, we let him have the cake and just give an appropriate insulin dose for it.  He is a kid and wants to be like everyone else!  It's okay!

We don't let Type 1 Diabetes keep us from doing anything, but have made some choices to improve our lives.  We noticed that climate made a difference and we needed to be in studies and have access to better doctors, so we moved. We noticed our son was sick every week at public school, so we decided to home school.  We have wrapped our business and personal lives around being available to help him because, we are his parents and want to give him the best chance at a healthy life.  Our son enjoys scouts, fishing, archery, swimming, farming, running, playing with his friends and family, reading, researching, doing service projects, playing piano, creating art, and more.  We just make sure to have his "go bag" with supplies and extra low blood sugar snacks which might include gummy snacks, juice, candy, or even a pop, with us at all times.  It is an interesting life I never thought I would be a part of, but I feel there is a reason God sent us our son and this challenge and we hope our story will help others.  We have made some wonderful friends through this journey over the past 7 years and have been blessed with awesome friends and family who have been a tremendous help.  Do finger pokes hurt and site changes hurt, yes.  Does he desensitize to the pain after thousands, yes, but it is the way he can live, so we choose to smile through the pain and do our best with this hour by hour, day by day.

Whatever you are going through, you are stronger than you know, you are exactly where you need to be, and there is a purpose for your pain.  When you embrace your life and your new reality, you can help others and I hope sharing our story will do that as well.  I am always up for answering questions and sharing any resources I can.  Type 1 Families, you are not forgotten and you are not alone.

Type 1 Strong!  :)

Hugs,
Trina
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Embracing YOUR Reality

Hello there!

How are you enjoying this summer heat wave?  We just came back from my husband's twenty year class reunion and I am feeling a bit sentimental, reminded of why we moved from Arizona to Missouri.  Sometimes sharing our stories helps us connect with others and I hope ours will share light and hope for anyone struggling.

Our son Wyatt was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was four.  Prior to that, we had a successful photography business and so many dreams we were building.  I never thought having a child diagnosed with an autoimmune disease would change our lives so much, but I have to admit, it completely ROCKED our world.

Today I wanted to write to inspire and encourage anyone who is going through a struggle with their health.  I know at times, it can seem like there is no clear path and no light in sight.  I want to tell you that you will find peace when you embrace YOUR reality.  The sooner you embrace and come to terms with the fact that whatever life you dreamed for yourself is not possible, the sooner you can enjoy what actually IS.

I am sharing today because it has taken me seven years to come to terms with what happened to my son.  It has only been recently that I have forgiven myself, bearing the guilt of him getting diagnosed all these years.  There was no grounds for me taking this on, however, as a mother, I felt like if I could have only eaten maybe differently or slept more or stressed less, maybe this genetic autoimmune disease wouldn't have happened to MY son.  (Yes, it was absolutely ridiculous for me to have this mindset and beat myself up that my son's pancreas stopped working, but my heart was broken and I am sure the years of sleepless nights monitoring his high and low blood sugar levels contributed to my depression and frustrations).

Type 1 Diabetes is a very misunderstood autoimmune disease.  It cannot be cured only through diet and exercise.  With children, it is extremely complicated because their necessary insulin doses change as they grow.  Although they can look perfectly healthy on the outside, on the inside, their brain and organs are affected by low and high blood sugars.  We try to keep a very tight range with our son to avoid this, but it is a challenge to keep him in the 80-120 range.  It is constant, minute by minute, day by day, night after night.  He will never grow out of it, this is his new reality, and it is our job to support, love and help him with it.  It is truly a family disease and life changing condition.

Frustrated because of the lack of quality care and wanting to get our son on a pump, rather than shots, after two years, my husband and I decided to move to another state.  We really considered California since Stanford has amazing doctors and we were involved with studies there for two years, but decided to move near St. Louis where the first A1C test was invented and there was still access to clinical studies and trials to work toward a cure.

I will never forget all of the support, love, and encouragement we had from family and friends and am so thankful for so many people who showed such love and generosity to our family when we were emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially devastated by our son's diagnosis.  Wyatt is 11 years old now and works really hard to do as much as he can, but we still help him with his pump and CGM site changes, sick days, and estimating carbs.  We decided to home school because he was sick at least 2-3 days a week when he attended public school and managing his blood sugar was a nightmare, even when the school hired an assistant.

Over the last seven years, we have learned so much.  We gladly share information as Parent Type 1 Educators and will never stop working toward a cure.

I look forward to sharing more resources, tips, ideas, and stories with you as part of our adventures embracing OUR new reality.  I really believe that we are given challenges so we can be tested and learn from experiences.  Continuing to grow and wrap my head around this life I never pictured for myself, I hope our story will inspire and encourage others to see it is possible to THRIVE, not just SURVIVE whatever life throws your way.  It has been interesting seeing God's hand in all of this and I am thankful I am able to teach my children and use all of my background, training, and experience in education to help him and others, who are interested in project and thematic based learning as well. I never would have thought all of this would be leading this into an exciting new business we are starting, but being able to work with our family and embrace this 24-7 together life has been the biggest unforeseen blessing of all.  Who knows, maybe God's plan will turn out better for you than anything you ever dreamed!  Embrace YOUR Reality and see what happens!  :)

Lifting your struggle up in prayer,

Trina Licavoli Gunzel
www.trinagunzel.com
Twitter:  @TGunzelTrina
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Educational Books and Materials

Tip #12 Finish What You Started...Give It All You've Got!

Hi there friends!  You're still here!  I don't take any days for granted anymore.  I'm happy to see you!

Well, it has been just over a year since I started this blog with the purpose of giving 12 tips of advice to encourage and motivate you to finish your goals.  I had hoped to give them over 12 days and it has averaged out more like one per month over the last year.  So...I am modeling reaching this goal by FINISHING what I started!  It's okay that it took me longer than I'd hoped, I'm just happy to be following through!

So, how has your last year gone for you? Have you reached any of the goals you set?  Is it time to rekindle that spark to achieve what you want to do this year?  You still have time!  I am thrilled with all I have accomplished and yet want to do so much more!

Highlights for me personally since May of 2014:

I published my first book which I wrote and illustrated:  Grandmas Are Gorgeous!  A Keepsake Book To Inspire And Encourage Conversations

I graduated with my Masters of Arts in Education/Teacher Leadership from the University of Phoenix

I completely finished moving into my house and organizing my art/studio space

I have toured the country with my first book participating at Book Signing Events, Shared Prizes with Fans, Volunteered for Book Readings at Libraries, Donated books to Libraries Nationally, Donated to March of Dimes, Donated for Cancer Benefits, Donated for Scouts, got to see Jan Brett in person and get a signed book, used my time energy and talents to help improve my community through Master Gardeners of the Ozarks and Started a Super Moms Club

I helped my husband plant two full gardens and did all of the prep and harvesting that goes along with that

We have been raising and hatching our own chickens, ducks, and turkeys and learning all about small farm life

I designed and taught a project based learning home school program for my pre school daughter and fourth grade son

I volunteered as the Webelo's Den Leader for my son's Cub Scout pack and attended my children's piano and dance lessons and their recitals

I have fished, swam, hiked, played soccer, football, frisbee, tag, created with sidewalk chalk, pastels, watercolors, mud, markers, pencils, pens, bubbles, and so much more

I have caught fireflies, observed butterflies, and tried not to squeal when my son has shown me every turtle, spider, and frog he has found near our pond

I have mourned the loss of dear friends, grown in my spiritual journey, and loved my family and friends as I've supported them through their own personal growth and struggles (and been healing from my own)

I have finally accepted and overcome the grief and guilt I took on since our boy was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of four, and embraced the life overhaul we have undertaken ever since. My son is healthy and happy and so I am going to be, too.  I am focusing on the blessings, not the burdens and the sparkle in my heart is slowly returning

I have spent amazing memories with my closest family and friends visiting and laughed until my sides hurt (you know those best kinds of aches in your stomach and until your face hurts from smiling)

I have committed to my health and lost 20 pounds!

I have all of the illustrations and writing completed for my next two books and some other book starts in the works

I enjoyed attending MOPS (Moms of Pre Schoolers) and made many new friends around the world

I chose to be baptized as an adult and have grown in my faith as a Christian

I have reached a whole new level of peace, acceptance, growth, strength and am pretty happy about where I am in my life with a couple of years to spare before I turn 40!  I pray for many more happy years with my high school sweetheart by my side as we just celebrated our 18 year anniversary.

Those are just some of the highlights I can remember and yet All that being said, there is still so much MORE I want to do with my life!  I am sure you feel the same way!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..........together!  Let's encourage one another to reach for the stars, work smarter, work better, LEARN something new every day, take time to ponder the things that really matter, and truly become the best versions of ourselves.  Find YOUR strengths and true talents and put them to good use to make a positive difference in the world.  Be true to the best version of YOU!

Thank you so much for your love and support of my books and family centered life and I am so excited about sharing future creations with you.  I am looking foward to an upcoming event with my mentor Sandi Krakowski called The Author's Art to be inspired and learn more ways I can share my messages on a global level. As my sweet Dad always encouraged me to do, I hope you will also go and bloom wherever you are planted and be the change you want to see in the world.

God bless you and thank you for taking the time to be connected with me through personal experiences.

Sincerely,

Trina Licavoli Gunzel

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Spread some sunshine with books!

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Tip #11: Set NEW Goals

Hello and Welcome to a Fresh New Start!

Bring it on 2015!  Can you believe it?  We have managed to blow WAY past the year 2000 and many of you might be thinking...what am I still doing here?  Do I have time to finish my bucket list?  Did I ever even start a bucket list?  Well, if you choose to have a list or not, I would encourage you to EMBRACE TODAY!  This is the only TODAY you will ever get!  I painted this tree to remind me of this and to think about the paths I want this year to take.  What dreams do you envision?  What would you like to do differently this year?

It is true that you will never have another day quite like today.  If there are things you want to do, why not start doing them?  Some people have enjoyed a full life of experiences and might look at themselves now and wonder how they can share all of their knowledge and lessons they've learned with others.  Well, there truly is no time like the present and maybe today will be the day you share something that really makes a difference in the life of someone else.

I have been working with local businesses, schools across the country, and interviewing to get the word about my books out.  Today, I had the opportunity to share some of my resources and learning with a friend who just published her first book.  Yes, I am busy, but making time to help someone else made a difference to her and gave me the opportunity to be refueled sharing my excitement about promotional activities and goal setting.  There are opportunities for mentorship and friendship everywhere you look.

Writing is a great way to get your thoughts out there and inspire others.  If you haven't done so yet, try writing a blog, getting that story you've had in your notebook finally published or send in a letter to the editor of your local paper.  Now more than ever, people are just a click away and if you have something worth sharing, you will get discovered by simply putting it out there and networking.

I want to encourage everyone as I wind down this list of tips, to make a fresh start this year to go after your goals and make them reality.  Whatever you decide to do in life, do it with PASSION and embrace the person you are and all the gifts and talents you have to offer this world.

I'm looking forward to hearing about what you come up with and am off to help my husband and professional photographer photograph the illustrations for my next book.

Go make those dreams reality!  I'm cheering for you!

:)
Trina Licavoli Gunzel

Check out my books for gift ideas!  A birthday, baby shower, holiday, or just to say I'm thinking of you is a great excuse to give the keepsake book:  Grandmas Are Gorgeous!  Enjoy and thank you!

Author/Illustrator Website

Tip #10 Get Out There!

Hello!

What a year this has been!  I am so excited to share that I actually did it!  I said I was going to finish my Master of Arts in Education/Teacher Leadership this year, and I completed my program at the end of October!  It feels amazing to finally be done and now that I am, I am putting more energy back into working on my next books, marketing events, book sales, and promotions.

I said this was the year for publishing and I am not sure exactly how big of an undertaking I knew I was taking on, but the biggest thing I learned as an author/illustrator is, I can be as busy as I want to be or not, depending on how much time I am willing to dedicate to my work.

For me, art is therapy for my soul.  It truly makes me happy to design, create, and share things I make or write that have meaning, relay concepts, teach, and/or spark emotions.  When I am in the artsy/crafty arena and teaching, I am getting to combine some of my true passions and the positive energy is something I just can't find any other way.

As promised, to try to encourage you in reaching your goals, I have to share these tips with you:

1.  Never give up on your passions and dreams!
2.  If there is something you truly want to do that is good for you and makes you feel like you are positively contributing, go for it!
3.  Don't be afraid to commit and put in the hard time and effort it takes to make your dreams reality.
4.  There are wonderful ways you can work from home and also be able to raise your children!  The precious time I have with my kids is going so fast and I'm not willing to lose that time with them.
5.  Work smarter, not harder - network with others, follow up on leads and contacts and enjoy each day. There is always something to be grateful for and there are so many wonderful opportunities and experiences we can share if we are willing to commit our time, energy, and talents.

Expanding my creative illustrating and love of design work, I wanted to share a few pictures of some designs I created with some sample cards.  Each one is one of a kind and I created them because ribbons and sparkle make me happy.  I worked for a card design shop in college and have always enjoyed the creating process.  Let me know if you would like to see other creations and gift ideas as I'm working on expanding a gift line to compliment my keepsake books for families and friends.

Thank you for your support, connections, and for spreading sunshine with books!  If you need 20 minutes while you are getting Thanksgiving food ready, set your kids up with this tutorial I created and they can make an ocean scene while you bake your pies.

Ocean Collage Tutorial

Here are a few of my fun card designs to get you in the mood for the holidays, too!

Thank you as always for your support!  I appreciate you liking and sharing my facebook author page:  Author/Illustrator Page for Trina Licavoli Gunzel
Signed copies of Grandmas Are Gorgeous! with a custom card make wonderful gifts for any mom, grandma, or for children as a read aloud and activities are included.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Trina Licavoli Gunzel
Contact me through my author site

Tip #9 WORK HARDER

Heloooooooooooooooo!  I had to take some time to rest and play this summer.  How are you?

In May I decided to double up the rest of my courses so I could finish my Masters program by the end of October so needless to say, the theme of this blog post is WORK HARDER!

Initially, writing is so exciting and you look forward to the day you finally have your book published! It IS exciting!  However, transitioning that enthusiasm into a paying career you can do full time is another "story."  Pun intended.

I have been trying out teaching young author's day workshops, doing book signing events, and having booths for local benefits to try to figure out exactly which way I want to go with my books.  I have also learned that promotions take a lot of time to organize and implement and have had to step back a little until I can finish my classes, because I was feeling spread too thin.

As I am nearing the end of my coursework, I am trying to think about how I want to use my degree and getting ready to do some winter book promotions and planning for the spring.

We all know that when we put not only our hard work but our heart into things we want to achieve, we are happier with the results and this is the way to truly be able to enjoy your work and thrive in your passion.

As I am trying to wind down my classes and refocus my publishing and promotion efforts, I am working toward this WORK HARDER list:

1.  Create new illustrations or ideas for future book concepts weekly
2.  Connect with people that have reached out and offered to host book signing events
3.  Plan two fall book events
4.  Have next two book illustrations photographed so they are ready for publishing
5.  Plan next two school Young Author's Day visits
6.  Continue book contests and promotions using social media
7.  Follow up with newspaper author interview
8.  Follow up with blog interview request
9.  Follow up with local programs for art and story workshops

I know that by refocusing my efforts toward my present and future book promotions, I will feel inspired to network with others and share my love of books and art.  People are very interested in the thoughts and works of artists and that enthusiasm is contagious.

I am here to encourage you to go after your dreams and work toward making them reality, while always taking time to truly enjoy your life and the precious people in it.  Every day we have the opportunity to make a difference in some way.  For me, getting to use my books to help raise money and awareness for children with cancer and being part of awareness for the JDRF and the March of Dimes have been ways I have found to spread some sunshine with books and encourage others.

Whatever is on your heart to achieve and make a difference, I hope you make time to do it!

Best wishes,

Trina Licavoli Gunzel

www.trinagunzel.com

Available now from all major on-line booksellers.

Trina Licavoli Gunzel on Amazon Books

978-1-4969-0421-8 (Soft Cover ISBN)
978-1-4969-0425-6 (EBOOK ISBN)
Authorhouse Ebook 


Children's Books and Works By Trina Licavoli Gunzel

Tip #8 REST

You can't just work, plan, or play 24-7.  If you do, you will surely burn out.  So, this tip number 8 in the 12 Encouraging Posts To Help You Reach Your Goals is:  Rest!

When you take time to let your project sit and "simmer," you are able to see it with fresh eyes.

When writing, this gives you an opportunity to objectively read through your material and catch spelling and grammar errors.  You will find ways to improve every time you edit and revise until you finally come to a point where you are ready to publish.

So, practicing what I preach, tonight is just a short post and I am taking most of tomorrow off to celebrate my 17 year anniversary with my high school sweetheart.  Yeah!

Please recharge your batteries, your heart, rest your mind, your eyes, and let your project, whatever it is, have the gift of time.  You'll pick it up and continue, but use whatever amount of time you need to set for yourself.  Sometimes it's a day, sometimes a week, but rest and then get ready to continue and see your efforts through to completion.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Thank you,

Trina Gunzel

Contact me if you would like to purchase a signed copy or schedule an author's day visit or workshop!

Need a wonderful gift for any mother or expecting mother to have to read to children?
Buy Grandmas Are Gorgeous!

Author/Illustrator Website

Tip #7 BUDGET

If you are going to seriously follow through with your plan, you have to BUDGET!  There are so many excellent resources out there.

Check out your local community college for business information. They will usually have someone who will consult with you for free, direct you toward the correct paperwork you need to complete, and give you ideas and suggestions for your business plan.  There are so many great resources on the web so do some research and then talk to others in the field as well.

In order to be able to really launch your plan and be successful, you have to have some way to fund it. When I was a bit younger, I would work five jobs sometimes just so I could keep some of my small business ideas going until they really took off.  (Now I only work about three jobs).  But, I'm trying to find ways to work smarter, not harder, so I can spend more time with my family and that has been very rewarding.

So, that's it for tonight!  BUDGET!

You have your ideas and your plan, now think about:

How much will materials cost?

How much will marketing cost?

What kind of licenses will you need and how much will they cost?

How much do you want to save before you will invest in YOU?

How much are you willing to spend on your project?

For me, I am continuing to work teaching, training, and consulting while I am also writing, illustrating and marketing my children's books.  This income helps to cover my expenses and allows me to get my books off the ground.

In the publishing world, it is very expensive to publish and you want to make sure you select the right publisher for YOU so do your homework and take your time.

Work on your budget so you can finance your dreams and make them a reality.

I hope you are enjoying the creative energy you are experiencing and passing your positive on to others!

Trina Licavoli Gunzel

Thank you for liking and sharing my facebook page!  I will be giving away another autographed copy of Grandmas Are Gorgeous!  June 20, 2014 if you like and SHARE my page.  Leave a comment on my facebook page letting me know to be entered:  Facebook Author Page: Trina Licavoli Gunzel

www.trinagunzel.com for my official author website

Buy My Books: Grandmas Are Gorgeous - Softcover or Ebook formats

Tip #6 COMMIT

How are you doing toward those goals?  You have been thinking, focusing, planning, working hard, playing hard, and now you're ready to really start to make things happen.

Your next tip is to COMMIT!  If you really want your goals to succeed you have to commit to actually making them happen.

You can have all of the great ideas in the world, but if you don't actually DO anything, they just stay as great ideas in your head.

Now, don't get me wrong, not all of your "great ideas" are going to be business worthy or make you a dime.
Some of them are just that.  Sweet and fluffy ideas that will take a lot of your time, energy, and talent and leave you broke at then end.

However, as you are going through this process, if you decide you really believe in something, it builds on your strengths, and you would enjoy doing it, help others through the process, AND you can make a living at it or improve your health, by all means, go after it!

There are so many things that come to mind as we struggle to commit:

Relationships

Diet

Exercise

Education

Jobs

Products

Careers

Friendships

There are also little decisions like when to take out the trash, when to mow the lawn, when to fold the laundry, when to feed our families...

Some of these decisions are easier to make then others and some of them glare us in the face and INSIST that we make them, but they all need to be weighed and balanced.

For me, prioritizing and actually deciding I wanted to do something made all the difference.

Have you ever worked really hard on something and been excited but just never found the time to actually follow through?

That's what I'm talking about!

The coolest part is, once I COMMITTED to getting my books published this year, I actually MADE time to get it done.

Even better!  I have MORE energy now because I am doing something I LOVE to do! Writing and creating art give me a natural high and my positive happy meter goes off the charts!  Whatever does that for YOU, go after it IF it is also good for you, your family, and is a way to help others.

For me, those criteria have served me well and being kind and helping others is coming back to me in more ways than I can count.

I have volunteered to do book readings, am treating my fans to cake and cookies at a book signing and book sale in Payson, Arizona at The Sweet Shoppe on Friday June 20 from 3:30 - 5:30pm.  I also just sponsored a booth to benefit March of Dimes in Branson, Missouri at the Welk Theatre on August 23 to sell books and share loving memories and traditions with families.  Is it coincidence that my books are selling and receiving excellent reviews?  I don't think so.  It is so exciting and I want you to feel that same positive fusion in your life!

So, whatever it is, once you decide, commit and don't give up until you make your thoughtful plan and positive strengths serve you well in reality.  I hope you find a way to help others in the process too!

Best wishes to you in whatever you are committing to!  Can't wait to see what you decide to do!

Trina Licavoli Gunzel
(Wife, mother, daughter, friend, teacher, student, author, illustrator, sunshine spreader)  :)

Check out my success story and share some love through books!

Thank you so much for liking and sharing my Author Page on Facebook:  Trina Licavoli Gunzel
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trina-Licavoli-Gunzel/759209587453094

Tip #5 PLAY HARD!

You didn't think I was going to encourage you to not have any fun did you?

In order to keep balance in your life and meaningful relationships with your loved ones, you can't be all work and no play.

You have to continue to do things that make you happy and spend time with your family and friends.

Go outside!

Get some fresh air!

Play soccer with your kid!

Go swimming!

Literally, take a hike!  ;)

Have a popcorn and movie night!

Actually DO some of those thousands of wonderful PINS you have on PINTEREST!  ;)  *Nail it!  LOL!

Play a board game!

Play a card game!

Play a video game!

Take a nap!

Paint with a friend!

Play with play dough!

Fly a kite!

Go fishing!

Play in the dirt!

Write a letter in CURSIVE and mail it to someone you've thought about!

Stop to smell the roses or plant some so you can someday!

Laugh until your stomach hurts!

Get in a great workout!

Shoot some hoops!

Play a ball game!

Watch a ball game!

If you haven't done any of these things in a while, this might be why your creativity is stifled.  If you have done too many of these things, that's probably why you haven't finished some projects on your to do list!  ;)

Balance.  Keep chipping away at your projects and goals while taking time to enjoy your life and create memories with people you love.

By the way!  I have been working and playing and finding that balance and it landed me the top posting on Author House tonight!  I reposted this on my facebook page to share: Trina Licavoli Gunzel.  Like and Share and add a review, and your name will be entered in a drawing to win a book at the end of July.

Yeah! Top post on Author House tonight! I hope this cool media publicity helps my hometown! Starting with my roots in Arizona, then planning future book signings in Branson, Missouri.  Love, pass it on... 

"Trina Licavoli Gunzel, author and illustrator of "Grandmas Are Gorgeous," will be having a book signing on Friday, June 20, at the Sweet Shoppe in Payson, AZ (3:30-5:30 pm.) A custom cake and cookies will be included If you're going to be in the area, stop by and meet one of our AuthorHouse authors!"

Thank you for spreading some sunshine with books!  Continue to work toward making your dreams reality! You'll never know how close you were to succeeding if you give up now!

I think you can,

Trina Licavoli Gunzel
Thank you for buying and sharing my books!  I would love to hear from you about some of the conversations and memories Grandmas Are Gorgeous! inspires.  You can read more and find my books at:
www.trinagunzel.com

Tip #4 WORK HARD!

Yes, I'm sorry but I finally had to say it...nothing is going to get done until you really decide to buckle down and put in the hard work.

My books didn't get written by me just wishing I could write them.

I finally realized I was never going to have the perfect time to just sit in my lovely organized art room and create all day.

I was never going to have the time to write all of my books and then send them to all of my favorite publishers and wait for them to get back to me.

I HAD to WORK HARD and MAKE the time to get my projects done or they would sit forever on my TO DO list and NOTHING would get done.

I want you to read yourself this letter when you want to achieve something but don't know how you are ever going to have the time to do it.  I pray it helps you find focus and accomplish your goals.

Dear Self,

God has given you very specific and unique gifts and talents.  You are one of a kind and precious in this world.  Please take the time to listen to the callings of your heart and use your skills and talents to be a blessing to others.  You don't have to be miserable in your life.  God created you for a greater purpose and loves you unconditionally.  Think about the things that truly make you happy that are good for you and help you feel whole.  Pray about the ways you can grow your skills and build your life upon your strengths.  Some things might just be for fun and other skills might be a way for you to not only live, but live and work doing something you truly enjoy.  When obstacles get in your way, don't let your passions disappear.  Dust yourself off, pick yourself up, and continue on in faith.  I know you will achieve anything you truly set your mind and efforts too.  With hard work and the love and support of your family, you can achieve great things, together.
Don't be afraid of failure, it is only an opportunity to learn.  Through knowledge, we find comfort and grace in moving past things that were hurtful and moving toward things that are uplifting and beautiful.  You are loved, you are awesome, and you make a difference in this world!  Don't ever forget that!

Love,
You

Find a way to be a blessing to others and through your HARD WORK and faith, great things will happen.

Spread some sunshine today,

Trina Licavoli Gunzel
Thank you for sharing my books and spreading love!

Tip #3 PLAN

Hello,
I bet you're surpised that I'm actually keeping up with these 12 Days Of Encouraging Posts To Help You Reach Your Goals right?  I was serious!  The only way I actually got to the publishing part with my books this year was to follow through.  So, I am here, following through and wanting to encourage you to do the same.

Tip #3 to encourage you today is to help you PLAN.  You have to have a plan for what you want to do in order to help yourself get there.

Remember that saying, "Any well built house has to start on a sturdy foundation?"  Think of that as the PLAN for whatever you decide you want to tackle this year.  If you aren't even sure what you'd like to PLAN, here are some ideas you might consider.  If any of them jump out to you as something you would like to make a priority in your life to work, maybe that is where you should start:

Idea Brainstorm:

Improve and strengthen your marriage
Spend more purposeful time with your children
Learn a new skill for your career
Complete your training or education
Design a product
Find a solution to a problem
Find a way to improve something in your community
Make a difference in the world

Whatever YOU decide, it's your life and YOUR way to contribute and make a difference.

Once you settle on one, two, or even three MAJOR goals to accomplish, write down your PLAN.

What do you want to achieve this year?  Write it down so you can look at it every day and see how you are doing on accomplishing your goals.

Write down a check list of what you will need to do to finally turn those dreams into realities.

For me, I decided:  This Year Was The Year For Publishing!

First, I decided on which stories I was going to publish.
Then, I made my PLAN.
I decided I was going to do the illustrations and stories myself.
This meant I HAD to PLAN in TIME to actually do the work.

My PLAN included daily effort and creating art and writing until my story was ready.  I actually wrote the titles to 12 books so I am focused to complete the series.

Part of my PLAN also included researching publishers, finding ways to organize my artwork and stories, revising, and setting a budget for my project.

So...by now you have been thinking about your ideas, focusing on what you'd like to achieve and now I want you to really take the time to plan out what you want to do so that you can have a solid foundation to build on.

Come back with your plan tomorrow and we'll work on the next part in your journey to success.

Keep working toward your dreams!

Part of my plan included deciding I was going to take extra coursework in social media so that has allowed me to design my own webpage, tap into sites that allow me to market and share my books, and I am still getting to achieve my goals of being present and involved with my husband and kiddos while working from home.  Don't give up on whatever is tugging at your heart to do, especially if it is in the best interest of your family and you have their support.

I pray your week is full of bright moments and opportunities to make a difference by showing love to others.

Night, night.

Trina
Check out my new author website! :)

Tip #2 Ready, Set, FOCUS!

Hello!

I'm here tonight with Tip #2 as promised.  See, part of getting something accomplished is saying you'll do something then actually doing it.  If you want to actually achieve a goal you set, you have to FOCUS.

So, there you have it, today's tip is: FOCUS.

FOCUS?  Some of you may not even be sure what to think about that word in your busy hectic schedule. We can be so busy working on so many different things, we don't get any of them really done, or done very well.  I'm asking you to really stop, take a deep breath, and think...

Before you jump into your next project that is destined to sit on the "TO DO" list incomplete for the next ten years, get centered. Whatever you have to do, pray, take a walk outside, find your inner peace, however you get there, find that still small voice inside and listen to it.

Is there something you have really wanted to do that you haven't gotten to do yet?  You still have time! Give your heart that attention it deserves and let what you have been thinking about be fueled by the little sparks that will start to grow from ideas.  

For me, this second step was the biggest difference.  Before just writing another story or song that sat in my "wish list for later box,"  I thoughtfully prayed about my decisions.  I looked for inspiration and ideas that spoke to my heart.  I wrote down inspirational scriptures, sayings, read a lot, then prayed some more.

To help me FOCUS, I wrote down some things that were continuing to tug at my heart.  I looked at some things I'd always wanted to finish and wrote them on my "To Do List" for THIS year!

Having focus means setting some achievable goals and deadlines.  For example, my daughter is now four and I can't blame not fitting into my skinny jeans on having a new baby.  I decided this year I was going to actually TRY to lost weight.  Did it work at first, NO.  I tried, but I really didn't have any FOCUS.  When I asked about planning my high school reunion, then started helping plan it, that gave me a FOCUS and a timeline in which I wanted to lose weight.  Suddenly, eating only half, drinking more water, and exercise started becoming important to me again because I had a goal to FOCUS on.  My reunion.  Hurray for deadlines right?

Another FOCUS for me this year became finishing my Masters of Arts in Teaching/Teacher Leadership.  I had only been chipping away for over ten years trying to finish, but didn't have a FOCUS.  Last fall and this spring, there were some exciting jobs I was interested in, but I couldn't get them without my Masters Degree. For me, the future job opportunities became the FOCUS and it has motivated me to double up my courses and I will finally finish by this December (at the latest if I don't lose my FOCUS)!  Only 19 credits left, yes!

I guess I actually thrive under pressure so on top of that, I decided THIS YEAR WAS GOING TO BE A YEAR FOR PUBLISHING!  This was going to be my major FOCUS.  Something for fun, to let my creativity shine, to be something I could share to encourage families in a world that seems to be trying to break families down.  Through publishing, I decided I could find a way to spread some sunshine through art and language and be able to encourage and share loving memories.  This made my heart smile and has been a positive energy and FOCUS that is carrying me through everything else.  (And yes, if you are just reading my blog for the first time, I actually DID have my first book published in May so Grandmas Are Gorgeous! is proof that if I can do it in my hectic world, you can achieve your goals with FOCUS too!  :)

When you take something absolutely new on like starting a business, designing a product, creating art, or writing, you are choosing to grow your brain.  It is a wonderful thing to do and the positive and creative energy you get from learning is completely awesome!  By doing something new, it makes my routine tasks like laundry and chores not seem so mundane.  I'm not saying I don't get behind because I absolutely do, but I don't mind the work as much because I am also getting to create art and write.

When I decided to write and illustrate my children's books for families, I knew it would give me opportunities to create and share with my children.  My family time is precious to me and my every day FOCUS so this also gives me a unique way to work with them.

Whatever you want it to be for this year...you still have time!  Seek it out...take the quiet time to listen...write down ideas that speak to your heart...and then write and keep them visible so you can work toward them as you center and FOCUS on what you really want to do in life.  You might need to keep working full time while you start designing this plan that you want to achieve, but you have to start with that FOCUS and do the planning in order for it to be successful.

Ponder that overnight and don't forget to keep that notebook and pen by your bed so that when you are struck with a smile in the night because you have an amazing idea, you can write it down.

I'll be praying you are able to listen and FOCUS so you can find your answers.  I know you'll get there! See you for tip #3 tomorrow.

Night, night.

Trina
Author Website
www.trinagunzel.com

A Year For Publishing!

Remember when you were a little kid and you really ENJOYED writing and creating ART just for fun?

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an author/illustrator.  I have written countless stories, poems, and songs and just held on to them in the hopes that one day, I would actually publish my work.

I know I am not alone in this.  Many of our "dreams" have to take a back seat to the "realities" of our life.  I enjoy my children and love them and my husband dearly.  Now, as my little ones are finally reaching the age of above 4...something magical has happened!

Daily, I am finding that, as I call it, "The Four Year Fog" has lifted!  I am able to hold a thought, have an extra hour to create something, actually retain information, and I am no longer being accused of having a mush brain!

I am so thankful I balanced teaching and staying home with my children through doing educational consulting and training and now am finally writing, illustrating and publishing my children's books!  For those of you who want to be inspired to go after your dreams and be encouraged to not give up, I want you to start off by seeing my example and then continue checking back as I share through my blog ideas that can help you go from those first stages of thinking about doing something to actually making it happen!

Here is my first tip for you today:

#1  Allow yourself time to think.  Just start with that.  Carve out a few moments of quiet peace outside, in the bathroom, in your car, in your bed, wherever you can...and just let your brain rest.  Next, from this moment on, have a journal and a pen with you at all times.  When those creative juices start to flow, you want to be ready to capture your ideas by writing them down.  That's it!  This is your first step toward making your dreams reality!  It might surface in a business plan, an idea for a product, a glimmer of a novel, an idea for an art piece...just be open to possibilities and listen...

I'm going to commit to sharing a new tip with you each day for the next 12 days!  I look forward to hearing how this inspires you and sharing what happened to me through this process.

As you can probably guess, I achieved my goal of becoming a published children's author and illustrator.  I'm so excited to share some resources with you to encourage you as you start to think about your plans and dreams for the future.

Please like and share my facebook author page:  Trina Licavoli Gunzel  and find me on Pinterest for ideas and events.

I would love to read your comments and answer any questions you have.  You can also get a taste for my book and my personality through my youtube site: Trina Gunzel

My website is www.trinagunzel.com for additional resources and information.  I think it's pretty fun too!  :)

You can find my first book in this family series on Amazon: Order from Amazon: Grandmas Are Gorgeous!
or any of your favorite online retails.  Grandmas Are Gorgeous!  can also be ordered from your favorite major bookseller.

If you'd like to order a signed copy from me, you can always do that too.  I made my goal of having it out for Mother's Day and Grandmother's Day is in July! I have so many fun events planned to tour with it this year and it has been selling and receiving excellent feedback!  I hope it inspires wonderful family memories and traditions when you read it and complete the included activities.  I have a heart for families and this has been a huge push for my work.

Available now from AuthorHouse  www.authorhouse.com

978-1-4969-0421-8 (Soft Cover ISBN)
978-1-4969-0425-6 (EBOOK ISBN)
Authorhouse Ebook

Thank you and I'll see you for tip #2 tomorrow!

Trina
Children's Books and Works By Trina Licavoli Gunzel