Sunday, July 18, 2010

Where I've Been and Where I'm Going

Hi, guys!

Sorry I've been silent on this blog for so long :).  I've been working stuff out in my own life and needed some time away.

Recently, I've come to realize a lot of what I'm doing is burning me out, emotionally and physically.  I'm the kind of person who goes completely gung-ho, 100% whenver I have a goal.  My family always told me that if I wasn't striving to be the absolute best I could be, I was wasting my gifts and potential.  This made me think that if I wasn't writing constantly, constantly trying to get published, and constantly stuffing my brain full of publishing industry news and information, then I didn't deserve to call myself a writer.

This got to be an awful lot of pressure and burned me out like a lightbulb.

My top priorities in life are hanging out with my husband, and then trying to find a way to use the gifts God gave me :).  However, when priority #2 got in the way of priority #1, I'd feel guilty for not doing more of #2. 

The major problem with that is that then I'm guilty when I'm choosing to hang out with my husband instead of sending a query, or guilty when I'm taking some time to paint or draw (something else I enjoy) instead of working on my novel.  Why should I feel guilty for using other gifts or being with the people I love?

It took me a while to realize... I shouldn't :).  There is no reason I shouldn't be doing what makes me happy!  Sometimes that's writing, sometimes it's painting, sometimes it's learning Spanish or making jewelry, and sometimes it's playing zombie video games with the man I married.

I've had to figure out how to cut myself some slack.  Just because I'm painting tonight instead of writing, doesn't mean I'm not pursuing a writing career.  And just because that career might take a while to get started, doesn't mean I'm not a writer.  I'm using my gifts, but giving myself permission to live my life in my own time.

Have any of you ever struggled with this?  How do you prioritize?  How do you keep from burning out on the things you love?

From now on, I'll be updating this blog, but it may be more of a mish-mash of creative pursuits, instead of 100% writing-related ;).  I also will probably only update weekly for a time. 

Thanks all for reading, for being awesome writing friends and supporters, and for being a part of this phase of my journey.  You rock!

9 comments:

Candyland said...

Everyone needs time away sometime. Take care of you and you family!

Zoe C. Courtman said...

I second Candyland's opinion! The creative journey is yours alone, and only you know how to navigate it. Creative is as creative does - and that includes painting! Have fun with it :D

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Nayuleska said...

I too have recently discovered that it's okay to do different things. It doesn't mean that I'm not writing.

Being happy with life is ever so important. We're still here for you!

Rebecca Knight said...

Awwwww, I love you guys! :3

Thanks for being so awesome!

Simon Kewin said...

You do whatever works for you.

Kathryn Hupp-Harris said...

As someone who has been going through something very similar, I know where you're coming from.

I actually wrote a post like this a couple of weeks ago. You will absolutely exhaust yourself trying to write what you think everyone else wants to read. But fact of the matter is, the most interesting posts are the ones that come from the heart and are about the things you love.

You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be passionate about what you do.

Keep on keepin' on, Rebecca.

Shannon Morgan said...

Spending time with someone who loves you will only make you more prepared to write when you're ready, because they're helping you refill your well of awesome. Please don't feel guilty about it. Life is long -- there's plenty of time to build a writing career, which you're already doing. :)

Anonymous said...

Pacing is important--I'm glad you're taking time to enjoy life!