You know the feeling.
All the best intentions and then...Bam!
Out of nowhere something gets in the way of your well structured new routine/hobby/exercise program/resolution... Fill in the blank here.
I don’t know about you (and I’ve talked about it before) but it’s so easy to find yourself ‘trudging’ along, getting on with whatever the ‘new thing’ is--for me it was usually trying to stay sober, or embarking on some new fitness regime, or changing my diet--and you get side-swiped and suddenly find yourself stopping this great new thing you’ve been doing.
What now?
I’ve always been great at ‘beginnings’ but not so great at middles. When you’re a romance writer as well, this can be problematic. How to get to “The End” when the middle starts to get tough and there are other bright and shiny ideas buzzing around demanding attention?
Focus!
When I get side-swiped, I have to remind myself why I started whatever it was that I’ve suddenly stopped.
When I was drinking, it was impossible to stay on task with anything in my life. There was always a new ‘thing’ calling to me, whispering sweet nothings in my ear and promising a better outcome (usually for less work) than the current project or endeavour.
I can honestly say that two of the things that I’ve stuck with for a large portion of my life are being sober and writing.
Well, let’s be brutally honest here. The way I drank, if I hadn’t learned how to stick with being sober, I simply wouldn’t have a life at all.
And the thing that helped to make that sober life bearable in the beginning was writing and my Passion Pulse.
I was saying to my dearly beloved over the weekend when we were picking some more fruit from our garden that I wanted a productive garden when I was drinking, but somehow I just couldn’t make it work.
Again, I’d start with the best intentions and then something else would get in the way and all my efforts would be for nothing.
Soul destroying, I know.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
What I didn’t understand back then (or couldn’t execute on) was the fact that all I needed to do was focus for one day at a time.
One day. I don’t know about you, but I can do anything for one day.
So, what I’ve found out is when I miss a day (or two or three or a week) it’s okay. I can forgive myself. I don’t have to call myself a failure and give up. All I have to do is focus again on my reason for making the original change in my life and (as they say) get right back up on that horse.
So, it’s mid-February as I write this. If you’re finding that the changes you were determined you were going to make at the beginning of 2019 have slipped to the wayside. Stop beating yourself up. I mean, honestly, who’s that helping? Not you, that’s for sure.
Cut yourself some slack. Be your own best friend.
Then focus--and get right back to task.
The only person who cares if you’ve missed a day or two or a week is you.
Give yourself a break, treat yourself with love and respect and then get right back on that horse.
Yours in love & gratitude,
Toni xx