Giving Permission To Pause
So I Haven't Been Blogging
If you noticed, I hope you didn't mind!
As a perfectionist, I want to have some explanation that will be acceptable. I want to expound on my busy schedule and the hectic challenges that summer brings. I certainly could outline play dates and family events and all...
I'm a mom of a young one; you would understand.
I could even gush, as many writers are wont to do, about my latest manuscript and all that The Muse has been putting on me by way of inspiration. It has steadily grown in the past few months and nobody could be happier about that than me.
As a writer, readers would understand. Good thing take time.
But is that the real reason why I paused in blogging?
No.
I Just Had No Desire TO Blog
I didn't feel I had anything worthwhile to say.
I would enter my blog editor and even open a fresh blank post, and then would find myself devoid of energy and desire. Plain and simple.
Many would scold that I have done myself a disservice in not keeping up with this blog because my SEO has suffered, which will lead to less book sales.
Good thing I don't write to become financially rich!
My point in all of this, (Oh, thank goodness you have a point, Mrs. A!) is that I felt so bad about not being consistent that, after I was ready to blog again, I was beating myself up too much to get back to blogging.
Becoming counterproductive, I wasted more time and energy than it would have taken to just blog. I wasn't going to force something that wasn't authentically me. But certainly the mental 'brow beating' I gave myself didn't help!
Then, A Revelation
While journaling one recent afternoon, however, I came to the conclusion that it was okay to give myself permission to not blog.
Permission to pause in the relentless marketing creation of content.
Nobody was happier than me.
Permission to pause is a popular concept out there - just give it a search and see what pops up under that hashtag. Hooray, I found that I'm not the only one!
Giving permission shifted my mindset from one of blame and condemnation for not being perfect to accepting that I am okay in not being perfect. I am human, not a machine.
If you are at a point where you feel burned out and overwhelmed about whatever is heaped upon your plate, I just want to pass along that it is okay to scrape something non-vital OFF of your plate.
You do NOT have to do everything for everyone everywhere - all the time!
Listen To Yourself A Moment
It's OK to give yourself permission to stop, to pause the ride, to get off completely and do something else.
There is only this one life. If today is not a blogging day, it is okay.
If today is not a laundry day, that is okay too. Laundry mountain will still be there and the world will keep on spinning.
Seriously!
When was the last time you wanted to do something for you...but didn't?
Why didn't you?
Because the kids needed something off the top shelf right then and you saw it needed organizing. Maybe the neighbors wanted you to come to their picnic and you had already begged off twice and felt it snobbish to ghost them. There always seems to be a dog or cat or hamster lurking that needs food or cuddles or walks, too.
And who can keep walking past those dishes like they don't exist?
There will always be a huge 'to-do' list on the table that will never be fully complete, my dear friend. It's not about showing off your perfect list or your perfect house.
We're not in this to win a ribbon and a photo in the newspaper!
"Local woman cleans house perfectly - also organized closets, detailed the car and kept kids entertained for an entire day"
Pushing Yourself Might Drive You To Resentment
The burnout from trying to be perfect in life can happen with writing and marketing, too.
Pushing ourselves so hard leads many to end up hating the concept of writing entirely. No need to shoot yourself in the foot like this! We are not expected to be perfect and the world will not come crashing to an end if we take a break.
If you have tried blogging and are simply tired of it - take a break.
If you have tweeted faithfully six times a day for six months and are sick of it - take a break from tweeting.
If you cannot find a way to end that story you have been slaving over for the past year, put it down. Walk away. Do anything else.
Give yourself permission to stop.
It is OK if you are not cranking out a book a month, or a book a year, or a book every decade. IT IS OKAY. More importantly...
You Are Okay
Loved ones will still love you. They will not suddenly turn away and disown you from their life if there is not a daily blog. Your story will come at the right time. They are already ridiculously proud of the efforts you make every single day; trust me. It will all turn out.
They will be proud and be happy for you and it will be okay.
Give yourself permission to pause.
Center yourself and honor who you truly are and what you truly want to do today.
Know, deep down, that there is only today and you do not want to spend it being miserable...
Or scrubbing dishes!
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Let me know what you have been afraid to give yourself permission to do - I'd love to cheer you on and help you give that permission today! Maybe you want to get back to a hobby you used to love, or get back to a story you began? Tweet me @aully1 and let me know. Let's cheer each other on today!
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