Year 2020: Just Keep Swimming [towards your goals & dreams]
“Yes! I’m on a roll! I can sooooo do this!” I said to myself...
I was psyched. I just hit publish on my 6th blog post of the year. That was June 1, 2019. I was on cloud nine. I was being consistent with a blog post a month, my goal.
But if you look at my blog posts history since tehn, you’ll find that this is the next one. [facepalm]
What happened to posting July-December of 2019? What the Hay?
Welp, my laptop kicked the bucket. :-(
By June 1st, 2019, I had a routine down pat to hit my goal of publishing a blog post a month. Basically, 2 weeks before the new month rounded the corner, I’d open up a blank document on google drive and just start brainstorming ideas or writing like a mad woman while drinking a glass of wine. I’d have time to edit later, so I just got it all out.
A week later, I’d edit what I’d written, then a few glorious days later (at the beginning of the month) published my blog like a boss with a glow to prove it. Done & done. It felt oh so good to make something that once felt challenging feel easy enough to be consistent.
Then, my laptop died.
I took it into apple for a check up. No bueno. I had the choice of getting a new laptop or springing for parts and trying to place them in myself (again….no bueno).
So, being resourceful, I decided to wait and save to purchase a new laptop and see if I could borrow my husband’s til then.
I did the best I could, but when his computer happened to be available, there were other things I needed to do on it, and blogging fell to the wayside. I thought of posting ‘hold’ spots, where I’d save the spot in the month and post later, but once that plan extended three months without me posting a blog in it, I decided that plan wasn’t gonna work. Writing one post a month is enough for me. Three in a month to play catch up just wasn’t gonna happen. #truthbomb.
So I let it go. And it. felt. Good.
It felt good to release the pressure I put on myself to continue to post a blog a month when I didn’t have my laptop.
It felt good to take a break from writing.
It felt good to try other things, to continue to build connections online and in person.
And now it feels good to get back to it. Oh boy, does it! The absence of writing for the past six months definitely made this heart grow fonder. [swooooon!]
With the fresh start of this new year and decade upon us, these are the pearls of wisdom I’ve gained from taking a pause:
It’s definitely okay to pause and take a break (especially to ‘renavigate’ when things take a turn). Breaks are nice. Like the saying goes “learn to rest, not quit”
But also, if you see something isn’t working, or is no longer bringing joy, look more into it with curiosity. Is it time to move on? Is it time to modify something? If so, that’s ok too.
One of the reasons we do things is to make us happy and content. If something isn’t, revisit bullet point #2 and/or ask “how can I make this fun/joyful” if it’s something that needs some sparkle, like managing your finances, cleaning your home, or writing a blog post that you don’t feel like writing. Looking back, I didn’t even THINK of buying a fun journal and new pens (does anyone else get excited by the idea of new office supplies?!) and just writing blogs in my journal, dictating on my phone (thanks technology!), then using my hubs laptop to quickly edit and post...that would have been a nice strategy to try.
If the motivation strikes to write TWO blogs at once, go for it and save one for back up for when the computer dies, life throws a curveball, or for the month when I DO want to take a break but can still hit my goal, etc. Obviously this is a lesson related to this specific scenario, but mold it to fit whatever scenario is coming up for you ;-)
If you know in your heart of hearts you’re doing something because it will ELEVATE you and your mission, but you don’t wanna do it, just do piece at time and just keep going (set a 5 min timer and get as much done in that time as possible. When the timer goes off, you’re done, Yay!). Make it as fun as possible (bullet point #3), and pretty soon, you won’t know what hit ya and you’ll be in flow. This is known as ‘showing up for the muse’ by Steven Pressfield. Once you show up, the muse shows up <3
Phew. Hope that helps with anything and everything you’re wanting to accomplish in this new year, decade and beyond. Don’t let little trip-ups keep you from continuing on the path towards your goals and dreams. We so got this.
Happy 2020 my friend! May this year be a wild ride full of love, adventure and the best kind of surprises!!!!
Now I’d love to hear how this relates to something your life...is there something you can apply the above wisdom to? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear!
