Being Easter Monday and the last day of my week off, I wanted to have a bit of a lazy morning, so I got up late and then watched the TV – two things I rarely do. I really enjoyed it, plus it got rid of my headache. I then read a blog titled ‘Amaze yourself and Let Go’ from one of my favourite and inspiring bloggers Awesomely Awake (great timing thank you!). The first few lines of the post said…
“What would happen if just today you let go of the tight grip you keep on your life? Would the world fall apart? Would YOUR world fall apart?”
It’s an excellent post – one that makes you stop and think about things. And the funny thing was, it was only because I had stopped, that I had the time to read it. Amazing! The post ended with two writing prompts, the second one being “Is there anything in your life that you’d like to let go of …?” This drove me into scribbling mode and I wrote enough notes for about four posts across my many blogs!
It made me think about what I said to my partner yesterday (whilst in the midst of one of my headaches) which was “I feel like giving up on My Writing challenge!” Now, although he’s not a fan of blogging or any other type of social media activity for that matter, he knows how much it means to me and responded “you can’t stop now, you’re only twenty something days away”. Of course I wasn’t serious about stopping, but what if I did decide to have a day off, or stop the challenge, with just 21 days to go? What would happen?
Absolutely nothing disastrous would happen! I would have just embarked on something else, something better, something that wasn’t daily, and something that was more suited to my lifestyle. If I was to then fast forward into the future, who would remember that I never completed the last 21 days? The answer is….only me.
The point I’m trying to bounce around today is that every writer deserves some time off now and again and to feel okay about it (more about this point tomorrow). After all, in my day job I get annual leave and weekends off, even though I do fill it with other things.
From the jumble of over 1500 words that I’ve written throughout today, these are just a few that I’ve unravelled. More of my ramblings tomorrow…
Hope you’ve had a great Easter break.
Until tomorrow…
Sandra
www.sandramadeira.com
My Writing Notebook 
Yeesh…I completely agree, but it’s so hard not to feel guilty when you take a day off!
Posted by thatwritinglady | April 9, 2012, 10:32 pmWriters, in particular, must take time off and do nothing. That’s my first piece of advice for any writer. Sit and doodle and brainstorm and write lists and just relish in the comfort of your own thoughts. Love that my post inspired you today to be OK with doing nothing but also to find even more words out of it!! Win-Win. : ) I have a few posts brewing on the creative process, by the way. Not sure when but they are definitely speaking to me in big ways. xo
Posted by awakeshawn | April 10, 2012, 12:50 amYes – I’m going to do this more often when my writing challenge finishes. This doesn’t mean that I won’t still be creative though as I can sit and doodle like you mentioned (scribblings as I call it). Thanks for commenting & I’m really looking forward to more of your posts 🙂
Posted by Sandra Madeira | April 11, 2012, 3:32 pmI recently completed the first year of a BA in Creative Writing…..I decided 7 months in I wasn’t going to go on to do the 2nd year…..but, I continued with the course, even though it was stressful and towards the end, tortuous. Hubby kept saying to me I should just jack it in, but I refused to be beaten lol
At the time I kept thinking, this is stupid, I’m just being stubborn, who cares if I finish it…..but, like you said, I cared. And now, over a month later, I feel great. I’m so proud of myself for sticking with it, not giving up 🙂
I’ve given up on loads of things in my life, and I always feel crap about it, regret it at a later date. I find myself constantly torn between life’s too short to do stuff you don’t want to do, and, a sense of achievement.
Good luck hon, whatever you decide to do 🙂
Xx
Posted by Vikki (The View Outside) | April 10, 2012, 8:31 amWell done Vikki – I didn’t realise that. How an earth did you find the time!! I’m starting to do more of what I want to do and it feels great. As you’ve probably read in my OpenLeaf blogs, it’s like the mist is clearing and I’m able to see a clearer path. Now, if I come across anything that makes me question ‘do I want to do this?’ I’m just going to follow my instinct 🙂
Posted by Sandra Madeira | April 11, 2012, 3:37 pmgood for you honey! 🙂
I think that’s all we can do, go with the gut 😉
Xx
Posted by Vikki (The View Outside) | April 11, 2012, 4:19 pm