I am still working on working ahead. These daily postings would be best if completed earlier by at least one day, maybe more. That has not yet happened.
November is an odd month for me. It is the kick off of Nanowrimo, the great novel writing challenge, as well as the start of the Holiday Season in the US. It also is when the sun moves south, leaving our days shorter. My day job is also in its busy season. And now, this year, everyone has medical appointments, including the dog!
Thanksgiving is basically our harvest festival, even if most do not ever grow food themselves. It is an excuse for me to prepare a large meal for the extended family, which I do not get to do that often, now that the kids are leaving the nest. But this feast must be prepped, and in my small kitchen all the details must be perfectly planned and the supplies gathered. Planning takes time.
Adding to the household drama is the number of appointments. Even I have physical therapy twice a week now, which means more difficulties in scheduling writing time. Not only does it limit the availability, the muscles in my arm do not function as well after each appointment. Resting must be planned.
To reach even part of my Nanowrimo goals, I need to have my clear time each day to get words down on the page. I cannot handwrite when away from my desk because of the nerve issues in my arm, limiting it even more. Throw in the sleepiness from the lack of bright light, and the motivation is harder to find.
Still, I push through. I cannot power through, due to my arm, but I can keep adding little bits every day to my goals. This is part of why I set the plan to blog every day. It gives me a smaller goal to be attained, and still know I am heading towards the larger goal of increased word counts. Even if I do not finish all my writing goals for the month, it is time well spent. I will not berate myself for not reaching the goal, but instead congratulate myself on how far I have come.
I heard of a person lamenting on how she was too old to go back to school, saying she would be almost forty when she would graduate with her bachelor’s degree. The person she was speaking with told her, “You are going to be forty anyways. Wouldn’t you rather have the degree, too?” That has stuck with me over the years when I start to look at what I have not done, instead of focusing on where I want to go. Life is a journey, so many say, but it is easy to be bogged down thinking of how far the destination is rather than to focus on each step every day to bring you closer.
My goal is to be a full-time writer. To get there I have made a plan, and when life slows me down I look at what needs to be done next, not how I far away I still am. At least I try to. Sometimes I do still berate myself, but with each new dawn I tell myself to take at least one step. Eventually I will get there.
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If you want to read my published work, check out the first episode of the serial: Betrayer Awakened, Season 1 Episode 1″Escape”.)
“Thoughts & Musings: Sometimes Life Gets in the Way”copyright © 2018 by Richelle Sepulveda