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[Note: this is my entry for January’s What I Learned From… group writing project. Hey, everybody’s welcome; why not join the Blogapalooza! as we wrap up the old year and help kick off the new? If you're interested (and I just know you are!) just click the link to find out how.]

I’ll tell ya folks; it’s been one humdinger of a year around here at the Middle Zone! Yep; a heckuva ride over the last 360 (or so) days. Ups, downs, thrills, spills, chills – and that’s just what happened to me!

So as my entry for this month’s What I Learned From… writing project challenge, I’ll tell you a little bit about (and show you where to find) what I consider to be the 12 most absolutely bodacious things I learned in the year 2007.

So without further ado, (because further do… well, you know) I present:

January – When you were younger, did you ever figure when you got older you’d be doing something big, important, or maybe just really interesting? Yep; so did I. Unfortunately, when I went to school to study for it, well, I found out a hard truth: I just couldn’t cut it. But that was then. When I wrote The Pain and the Prize, I proved that, when it comes to really big, audacious goals, it’s really just a question of the proper motivation.

February – Here’s an excerpt from That Wonderful, Terrible Word: “There is a word, ladies and gentlemen; a word that, when it is articulated, can strike fear into the hearts and minds of even the most bold and valiant. A word so mighty, so evocative, that when used at the appropriate moment, has the power to reduce even the most capable and self-assured individual to a disgusting, gelatinous mass of quivering protoplasm. Yes, my friends – be afraid; be very afraid. The word is… commitment!“ So my friends; if you’d like to avoid that disgusting protoplasm stage, then you’d better pop on over and find out how! (Note: I posted this one over at 100 Bloggers).

March – Question: Have you ever been the unfortunate soul who had to be the bearer of bad news? I mean, really bad news (we’re talking about megabucks worth of bad news). In Take ‘em by Surprise, I discovered a technique you just might want to know about next time you have to face the music. (And no, it’s not Run! Run for your life!)

April – I think perhaps one of the most common pitfalls we face is the tendency to make quick judgments about people we really don’t know at all. C’mon, you might as well admit it. I do it; you do it; hey, it happens all the time. But in Are You a Labeler?, I faced up to my own snap judgment and was rewarded with an amazing discovery.

May – When it comes to Learning Patience, I must admit to being like most folks: I want it now! But I think you’ll enjoy this lesson on patience I picked up from a little friend of mine.

June – What’s life without challenges, right? No, silly; not easy – I was going for dull! But doesn’t it seem like getting a handle on what to do sometimes turns out to be the biggest challenge of all? Well, friends; have I got a present for you! You just can’t go wrong with The 7-Up Solution to Problem Solving – it’ll put you on the right track every time!

July – Have you ever suffered from the “curse of can’t”? I’m talking about the persistent, self-defeating thought that your own limitations will forever keep you from accomplishing… well, maybe anything. I gotta tell ya – in The Long and the Short of It, you’ll find out that inherent limitations don’t have to be the last word.

August ––Fun fact: Knowing and recognizing your own Comfort Zones, and Other Impediments might just be the key to improving your life! If that sounds a bit over-the-top, well, maybe you should take a peek at this one. I mean you never know; it could make a difference in your life, too!

September – In Two Simple Steps to Authentic Writing, a somewhat eerie experience out in the middle of nowhere provides a wonderful illustration of the importance of being well-grounded, both in your writing… and in your life. (Note: I guest-posted this one at Joanna Young’s Confident Writing.)

October – You know, every day we are absolutely inundated with a literal flood of information. Newspapers, magazines, books, broadcasts (and in my case, let’s not forget my word-a-day toilet paper!) But before you accept (and act upon) what you hear, well, maybe you should take a lesson from Jonah, and Consider the Source. You’ll be glad you did!

November – If you had the opportunity to step out – no, more accurately, you were actually thrust out into the limelight (and I’m talkin’ really out there) – what would you do? Well, in What I Learned From Striking Out on my Own, I’ll tell you what happened when things went absolutely and completely wrong… and in front of 50,000 people, no less!

December – Here are three key life-lessons I learned as a boy about being prepared, opportunity knocking, and being a winner: What I Learned From My First (and Only) Home Run.

So there you have it folks; my favorite posts from this past year. Enjoy!

Note from the proprietor: If you’d like to share with us what YOU learned in 2007, well why not join us for the Blogapalooza? What’s a Blogapalooza, you ask? Well, just check out this post for the details!

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