Counting on a better week ahead…
…isn’t enough. I need to create it.
It is so important to know ourselves, isn’t it? I am in a very distracted mood at the moment with a lot of things swirling around my head. I’ve been anxious and stressed - which has inevitably led to me being out of routine. I am pulled in a lot of different directions which means I go in no direction: immobilised, looking at my to do list.
So - what I need to do is treat myself like a toddler, think about what I love to do and what I know will bring me back on track.
I know that I need sleep, fresh air and mindful tasks like baking. We’ve got a trip away this weekend by the lake and I will indulge in some rest and time with my family.
The to do list will get done. It always does.
My novel, however, is never on that list. I want to address this. I wonder if I can find a way to tell myself that writing my novel is in itself an act of self-care? If I schedule it in, will I be more likely to do it? I wonder.
It is times like this when I turn to my favourite books for solace. At the moment I am reading The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday. One stoic wisdom reflection each day. It’s so calming and reassuring.
What do you do when you are in a rut or out of routine? Do you count on things getting better, or do you take action to realign yourself?
I feel your pain about writing not getting done when you're stressed or busy. I absolutely have to schedule my writing time on my calendar so that it's as important as a doctor's appointment. Then I tell myself all I have to do is spend 10 minutes writing. That low bar makes it so much easier to get started and invariably I'm there for the whole of the time I've scheduled. P.S. I love The Daily Stoic too - reading it every day is like welcoming in wisdom and calm, isn't it? 💙
I really need to do this with writing. I keep telling myself that when the school year ends (I'm a teacher), I can put in some real time on my writing, but I need to make it work in my regular days as well. The summer will end, after all, and I'll still need to make time for what's important.