I can’t believe it’s been a month since my last post! So many things have happened. Hubby and I have been busy with our remodel, working full time, and my writing. I have a new contract for a new book, and we’re getting ready for a pretty big trial at work.
I took a vacation this past week to just try to get some stuff done at home, on my story, and a little free time for myself before I had a major burn out at work. Which was close, believe me. Some days, you just need to take some time off and get away from it all, but hubby and I couldn’t take an actual vacation at this time. He would still be working, and it wasn’t good timing for us.
I had plans and goals for my days off, even plotted out the rest of my story (which is basically unheard of in my world), but I was quickly struck, quite literally, with the realization that none of that mattered. I had a small injury/accident that could have been huge, but it took me away from my writing for a few days. Not only that, but once I got the ability to write again, I didn’t want to. I have these 3 ideas, trying to work on most of them, and I had absolutely no interest. There were moments I just sat staring at the sky. It was those moments I realized I needed the most. When I told my husband I should be doing this and that and I’m not getting any work on the house (remodeling) done, he reminded me of why I fell in love with him. He told me it’s my vacation, and that I shouldn’t feel like I should be accomplishing something every hour. I could write something outside of my interest, like horror, or I should be doing something like a hobby, or a nap. A nap? What in the world is a nap? And I was so close to burn out that I had forgotten what a hobby even was, or how to enjoy one.
But alas, the downtime helped tremendously. I surrounded myself with peace and quiet, with positive self-talk, yoga, and even positive podcasts, and lots of Vitamin D. I had a doctor appointment on one of those days, and treated myself to a hair appointment, and wrote some on my phone. Something I’d never been able to do before either. After all, I need my office and a computer, or at least the outdoors and a notebook. I got outside my comfort zone, several times, and that’s exactly what I needed.
So my writing tip of the day is to get outside of your comfort zone. Go somewhere different. Even if it’s a day, a half day, or an hour. If you have a town river and an hour lunch break, go there for lunch (something I used to do all the time that I no longer do). If you work full time and write, it’s really, really hard. If you work full time and do anything, it’s really, really hard.
My husband and I were able to take a half a day off and go Jeeping off-road, something we love to do that we haven’t done in a long time. It was a fabulous break, but the break I had, all alone during the week, was just what I needed to get my head back on straight so that I could actually enjoy this day trip. So if you’re feeling burned out from writing or work or anything, don’t be afraid to take a break. For writers, the pressure to write every day, to produce something every few months, is overwhelming, sometimes to the point of never getting started. If you can only write a book a year, it’s something! So don’t be afraid to take breaks!
One more thing I learned while on vacation. I spent a lot of times outdoors with the cats I take care of. They have taught me so much over the years, but the one thing I leave you with today is:
Cats are always eager! Eager to explore, eat, taste, relish life, experience, and especially play! So be eager to experience life and to do new things.
And if you get stuck, be eager to dig yourself out, even if the path is a bit rocky! Either that, or just get on that rock and kick back for a while!
