Off The Hook

I started writing a different blog entry today. I’ve been on a weekly blogging streak since the end of November and felt compelled to get something out today. But the piece I was writing got so bogged down in heavy questions, without a lot of satisfying answers, so I left it for another day.

Once upon a time, I wouldn’t have allowed myself to do that. I’d have forced myself to plod along miserably until I’d made my point and finished my task. But, life is short, time is precious, and I decided it’s ok to let myself off the hook once in a while. It’s one small step in learning to take better care of myself.

What about you? When was the last time you let yourself off the hook for something? With no guilt allowed? Beating yourself up for what you haven’t done is highly overrated, you know. Nobody wins.

So, instead, I’ll say: It’s Sunday afternoon, the last day of February. The snow cover outside is shrinking, and I actually saw green daffodil tips poking out of an exposed patch of garden earlier. Spring is coming. And I’m good with that. 🙂

Gratitude Spiral: Day 364

Today, I’m grateful for all of you who read this blog.

I appreciate that you are reading this Gratitude Spiral, whether you’ve followed it from the beginning or joined in somewhere along the way. I hope you’ve been encouraged to consider what you’re most grateful for in your lives. And I’d like to know…

What are you grateful for today?

Gratitude Spiral: Day 300

Today, I’m grateful for three hundred days of gratitude.

I started this Gratitude Spiral on Thanksgiving Day, 2019. It’s an accomplishment to still be posting daily doses of gratitude hundreds of days later. I’ve not only developed a habit of practicing gratitude, but have also practiced blogging daily. We’re entering the home stretch for this series of posts, but who knows what could be next. 😉

What are you grateful for today?

Gratitude Spiral: Day 58

Today, I’m grateful for blogging

I started blogging with WordPress eight years ago, as a means to make creative writing a more consistent practice in my life. I’m still here and enjoying the joys and challenges of it 🙂

What are you grateful for today?

P.S. Wondering what a Gratitude Spiral is? Find the answer here.

Rather Than Write…

Well, I haven’t posted anything here in over a year. Does that mean I’m not a blogger anymore? Or even a writer? On the contrary. I’ve joined local writing and poetry critique groups; I’m working on a novel; and I’m honing my skills.

But on a daily basis, it’s hard to make the time to write consistently. What do I make time for instead? Laundry, food shopping, singing, refinishing cabinetry, paying bills, taking walks, filling out rebate slips… So many things seem more important and more immediate. I tell myself just one more thing first. I know it comes down to a decision to put other activities aside and gift myself with uninterrupted writing time. I can see it in my future. 🙂

So, I’m curious, what do YOU, fellow bloggers and writers, do instead of just sitting down to write? I think it’d make quite an interesting list! Tell me…