Some mornings, waking up is hard to do. (Aaaand now I've inadvertently given you an earworm! Oops.)
We all have days where we want to just roll over and go back to sleep. Alas, the world is still out there, time still moves forward, and life continues whether we're conscious or not.
The term "self-care" is such a tricky one. It's a term to be honoured, because we all need to take care of ourselves, and we need to be able to recognize when we've pushed ourselves too far, or are about to. But I've also heard the term abused and overused, invoked as an excuse for not taking action.
So the real questions that we have to be able to honestly answer, especially as writers, are these:
How am I doing?
Do I need to step back and regroup, or do I need to press on?
What am I avoiding by not moving forward in this moment? What do I gain?
And being comfortable with your answer, whatever it is, matters the most. Because regardless of the answer, it's okay. In this moment, you are where you need to be. Take a breath. It'll all turn out just fine. :)
Remember, sometimes the answer actually is, "Yes, I really do need this nap."
With that in mind, how are your goals this week? Are you pushing forward or taking a breather? How are you holding up as the holiday crazies threaten?
Now for announcements ...
March (WIP)Madness 2014 may seem ages away, but realistically, it's just over two months from now. Organizer Denise Jaden has sent out the call for volunteer hosts. Interested? E-mail her at d (at) denisejaden (dot) com.
And last week I mentioned a prize. Random.org gave me 6 as the winning number, which means Lara Lacombe, please contact me!
I took the weekend off of writing to regroup. Some people have to force themselves to write, I have to force myself to stop--mostly because the rest of my life starts to fall apart if I don't pay enough attention to it. So I'm feeling somewhat refreshed and a little more together than usual today, which is nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for announcing for MM hosts, Laura!
You're welcome, Denise!
DeleteGood for you on taking some time to regroup. Glad to hear you're feeling better for it!
Oddly enough, I woke up early to a text this morning. Mom told me the smoke detectors went off at my brother's house but she, the kids and everyone are fine.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I couldn't get back to sleep because last time smoke detectors went off without cause, my Oma passed away. Meanwhile, I texted my sister who was on her morning commute to work. She's fine. My dad, however, hasn't replied yet and he's currently in Asia. :-/
As unsettled as I was this morning, my goals continue. Revise, revise, revise. I'm also reading comp titles to my WIPs to get a feel for what's out there.
Hope everyone has a great week,
Tonette
I know what you mean about those signs. I hope everything is well.
DeleteHope everything is okay, Tonette. Glad to hear you're keeping at it.
DeleteThanks, Ladies.
DeleteDad replied a few hours later. He's okay. Since the typhoon in the Philippines (where he currently works), I've been on edge.
Until I see him for Christmas break, I think I'll still be tense. For now, I'll keep writing.
Yay... congratulations to Lara. Prizes in December are especially sweet.
ReplyDeleteBack in the 1970s I discovered what happens when I don't pay attention to the signs of my diminishing sanity. Determined to never go there again, I now make sure I give myself the breathing space I need. Writing is always a joy for me so it isn't hard to find time for it. Even during the Christmas season, if my days are full, I still take an hour or so to write after everyone else has gone to bed. I love my quiet time. :)
So no, I'm not taking a breather... at least, not from writing. Years ago I simplified my holiday prep. I start early, spacing out the things I most want to do, and eliminating the things that are low on the priority list. Then I have time to enjoy the things that are most important.
Wow. I think I'm on the extended self-care program. I've been working on book promotion, but book writing is still an elusive concept. I keep telling myself that I'll start writing again when I'm ready. Now that this horrible year is behind me and most issues are pretty much resolved, I should be ready to write again. But I'm not. Emotional wounds are still open and I feel creatively empty and depleted. So what I really need is to take time to fill that well. Then maybe I'll be ready. . .
ReplyDelete((Hugs)) Angelina. Sometimes you just need a little room to heal.
DeleteAngelina,
Delete*big hugs* What Mary Ann said. Take the time to heal. You've been through a lot this year and I know you have it in you to move ahead when you're ready. May your well replenish wonderfully in the coming days and weeks. You will always have that source to draw on, even if you need to give it a little while to remember how to reconnect.
Woo hoo! Thanks so much! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, sometimes you really do need the nap :) Especially since you're just coming off of NaNo!
You're welcome, Lara! Yeah, I won't deny needing that nap. Not at all. That was how I spent most of my weekend.
DeleteYAY, Lara!
ReplyDeleteThese are good questions. My day job has taken over lately, so the WIPmadness has been slow. I've decided to spend a little time with an old manuscript, but I'm starting to get that itch for the new one again. I'm hoping to get some quality writing time after this week and who knows what can happen...
Rock on, Wipsters!
I think it's great that you have multiple projects on the go, Mary Ann. It's one way to keep the creativity from stalling.
DeleteThe Dayjob can be a hectic thing. It's busy over here, too. May you find the time you're looking for! :D
OMG, this so has been me! I think Nanowrimo did me in. Nope, just an excuse! I'm back to my edgier project. My one pub of CROSSED OUT emailed me interested in the sequel to that one so we'll see where that goes. Mega busy with son's Christmas programs, church programs, life, and just this stupid cold front. Though I'm not going to complain. It could be so much worse. My younger sister, while visiting her new grandbaby in Texas, got a phone call yesterday from her house sitter that her pipes burst and her ceilings collapsed. Her house is ruined. So sad. She's been through so much with her ex-douche husband and now this. So yeah, it could be worse.
ReplyDeleteOh no! I've had busted pipes before and it's no fun. Sending ((hugs)) to your sister (even if she doesn't know who I am!)
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