Heather Erickson ~ Author~Writer~Speaker

R is for: Reframe the problem

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Cancer Information, Reach Your GoalsApril 20, 2019

I recently decided to reframe the problem of explaining what it’s like to live with cancer, by creating a complicated graph. In January, we had a crazy week, down at the Mayo Clinic. We had gone thinking my husband would be in a new trial. Then, the doctors discovered what they thought were more brain metastases. These would disqualify him from the trial. So, they cancelled his biopsy and other testing appointments.Meanwhile, the polar vortex hit Minnesota plunging temperatures to record lows. It was so cold that a man died in the very town where we were staying because he Read more…

Q is for: Question Everything

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Get Creative!, Reach Your GoalsApril 19, 2019

Many years ago I ended up being the president of the homeschool support group at our church. I say, “ended up,” because after attending only 1 meeting, I agreed to become the vice president and then the president resigned 2 weeks later. So my unexpected rise to power left me feeling pretty overwhelmed. I had to question everything in order to come up with a plan to improve the way we dd things.There were some problemsAs we began to question everything, we started with the attendance. It was really low. There were only about 5 of us. Yet, we had Read more…

P is for: Making Prototypes

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Get Creative!April 18, 2019

For this post about making prototypes, I decided to interview my 16-year-old daughter, Samantha. Whenever anything breaks or needs assembly, I call on her. She thinks like an engineer, which is good because she is going to school to become a biomedical engineer. Last year she made a lightsaber like they use in the Star Wars films.How prototypes can benefit any projectMe: You made a lot of drawings and prototypes prior to actually assembling your lightsaber. In what ways did that help you?Samantha: There is a reason that engineers and researchers make blueprints and prototypes before building whatever device they Read more…

O is for: Consider Opposing Viewpoints

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Reach Your GoalsApril 17, 2019

Anyone raising teenagers knows the challenge of overcoming opposing viewpoints. They want things one way, but you have rules which say they have to be another. Sometimes it can feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall. Why does she insist on wearing shoes without socks in the winter? Why does he consistently come home 10 minutes later than he was supposed to? What is behind her failing grades or his bad attitude? Likewise, they probably view your rules as restrictive and think you just don’t understand what it’s like to be in their shoes (even if Read more…

N is for: Let Go of What’s Not Needed

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Reach Your GoalsApril 16, 2019

Today we took one of our frequent trips to the Mayo Clinic. We sit in waiting rooms for long stretches of time each day. And each trip can take 2-3 (sometimes 4) days. So, I filled a bag with my kindle, my phone, charging cords, my purse, a sleep mask (in case I was able to catch some zzzzs in the quiet lounge), some snacks, a book to read to Dan on the drive down, another book that I’m preparing to review, and even more things that I later learned were not needed.I often overpack, as if I’m afraid I’ll Read more…

M is for: Don’t Be Afraid of Making a Mistake

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Authenticity, Get Creative!April 15, 2019

Throughout my childhood, and even in my teenage years, I was brave. I lettered in drama by the end of my sophomore year in high school. I was in every play, on the speech team, the debate team, and even the captain of our mock trial team. Then, I went on to art school where I focused on literary art. I was never afraid of failure or making a mistake.Now, I often play it safe, because I’m afraid of making a mistake. I’m not sure why I get so hung up on it, because I’m not the kind of person Read more…

L is for: Listen to Feedback

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Get Creative!, Reach Your GoalsApril 13, 2019

I love getting feedback on my projects, whether they are blog posts or books I’m writing. The first people I turn to are my family members. Countless times, their feedback has saved me public embarrassment and ridicule (primarily from them).Another valuable source of feedback is my group of beta readers. As I was writing Facing Cancer as a Parent: How to Help Your Children Cope with Your Cancer, my beta readers gave me feedback that made a big difference in the quality of the book.Trends in FeedbackThe benefit of getting feedback from several people is that you can see trends Read more…

K is for: broaden Your Knowledge (3D Printing)

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Get Creative!April 12, 2019

I love to learn. I think that’s an inherent trait in writers. We learn and then we write to sort through that knowledge. So this was a fun exercise for me. I decided to learn a bit more about something that has always intrigued and perplexed me: 3D printing.To learn about what 3D printing is, and how it works, check out this video by Mashable Explains.3D Printing and GunsThe first time I heard about 3D printing, it was in a news report about the potential for 3D printing to be used to make parts of a gun, which could easily Read more…

J is for: Join the Dots when Problem-Solving

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Get Creative!April 11, 2019

History is full of innovative concepts that were the result of combining existing ideas in new and novel ways. James Dyson did exactly this when he combined a vacuum cleaner with a sawdust cyclone to invent the first bagless vacuum cleaner. You could say he cleaned up at problem-solving.Think about a problem you’re trying to solve. Grab some Post-it notes and write down one problem-solving idea on each one. Mix and match the Post-it notes together. How many new and interesting problem-solving combinations can you discover?The image of James Dyson combining a vacuum cleaner to a sawdust cyclone reminds me Read more…

I is for: Imagine the Ideal Scenario

heatherericksonauthor2019 A to Z Challenge, Get Creative!, Reach Your GoalsApril 10, 2019

Today’s prompt asks, “What’s your ideal scenario? Bring your vision to life by creating a drawing or collage of pictures.”I’m a little bit uncomfortable with things that don’t line up neatly, and a collage definitely falls into that category, so I’ve made it a practice to never put together a collage…ever. But, I can definitely get into visualization as I imagine the ideal scenario for my future.What I see and feel in my ideal scenarioIt’s 5 years from now. A treatment has been formulated to cure lung cancer and reverse the negative effects that living with and treating cancer have Read more…