Reinstating Habits
Well, it’s a new year and as you can see I went off the writing wagon a few months ago. The holiday season and travels alway have a way of making it difficult to maintain habits.
Something I have started to learn is that we do not have to follow the same methods or patterns that we always have if we can have enough wherewithal to side-step for a different path to a solution. I am still working on remembering this, but slowly I am getting myself back into a routine that allows space and time for writing.
One thing that I have had to come to terms with is the idea that I can only write in a particular setting. For the past year, I did the majority of my novel writing during mini-writing retreats. These were a treat to me personally as well as for my writing. Furthermore, I would try to get to a cafe once a week to do the majority of my writing then. This meant that I felt that I couldn’t or wouldn’t be able to do any writing outside of these settings. However, I am currently writing this on the couch while kid-sitting for some friends. Guess, I can write in diverse settings!
Another concept I am working on is that my writing is best done at certain times of the day. It has been an ongoing battle for me to try to fit in everything I need to get done in my most productive period of the day — the morning. Usually, I am useless for anything creative or productive after 2pm. However, I often forget about my second wind that comes around this time of day — 7pm-ish. This realization still needs to sink in as I work toward how to ensure that I make the most of my time when I can. Although I keep thinking I should alter my sleep schedule to accommodate certain social expectations, I do draw the line at my sleep patterns. I cannot sacrifice sleep as it does not help anyone.
So, as I get myself into the 2023 rhythm, I am figuring out how to be a bit more flexible with these ideas. What about you? How do you reinstate habits so you can open 📖 the sunshine ☀️ into your heart ❤️ to tell the stories📚 you have waiting to be told?
