Insane Ways of Staying Sane

So, newsflash.

This week is stressful. 

With the stock market playing ping pong with our money as well as rumblings of the End of Days (recession-wise), I'm more than a wee bit high strung.

Of course, this means I started to get crazy nervous about the new pieces I'm currently writing. Thoughts like, "I've lost the sweet mojo! No one will ever buy one of my books ever again!" and "Maybe all of my writing is terrible, horrid crap, and no one's told me!" have been flying through my mind at break neck speeds.

I realize, however, that this is The Crazy talking and shouldn't be taken seriously.

So how the heck do you stop The Crazy and get back to work?  How do you shake off the negative voices and start feeling good about what you're doing again?

I'll tell you what I did.

I gave myself a pep talk!

This sounds dorky, but it 100% worked, and I felt great afterwards.  I addressed myself in the 3rd person (in my head), and told myself all of the things I'm proud of about my own writing and the things I've accomplished so far.  I told myself that good things were on the horizon and that I can absolutely meet the goals I've set for myself.

I told myself that I've got this covered, and psyched myself up. 

Have you ever done this?  It really helped lift my mood instantly. 

Next time you hear The Crazy creeping in, give it a try :).  You might be pleasantly surprised!

Are you SMART? Setting New Years Goals!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, folks!

I hope you are all refreshed, recovered from any hangovers, and ready to start kicking some ass in 2010 :).

I've always been wary of New Year's resolutions. Whenever people talk about them, it's inevitably followed by an eye roll or a knowing wink.

Oh, sure. Yeah. Good luck with that. Har har. We'll see how that's going in two weeks.

However, this year is different. Instead of resolutions, I'm creating some S.M.A.R.T. goals for myself, including mini stepping stone goals. S.M.A.R.T. stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound--all good things!

A lot of clever people on the internet have been talking about their goal setting techniques, and I've ripped a lot of them off to come up with something I think will work for me.

My goals so far:

1) Finish Legacy of the Empress final edits!

-- Edit at least 10 pages per weekday
-- Finish all edits by 1/30/09
-- Finish husband’s edits within a week of receiving them (he'll get them 1/31, and then I'll politely harass him until they are done. Bless him.)

2) Try my hardest to get an agent!

--After finishing husband's edits, prepare manuscript for submission within a week of the Final Once-Over
--Post query on Querytracker.net forum one last time
--Perfect query based on feedback
--Begin Query Storm 2010!
--Remember over all that if this book doesn't get me an agent, another will :).
--Keep writing!
--NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER!

3) Finish my second novel, Hollow Land!

--Develop a daily writing routine that works for me
--Allow myself the freedom to write weird crap the first time around.

As you can see, I'm trying to do my writing goals in stages, so I can focus on one thing at a time, cross it off the list, and see some early successes to keep me going. This sounds like a much better plan than setting a goal like "WRITE EVERY DAY," fail to do it for a couple of days... you know, ever... and then feel like a screw up. I think this may be the key to actually accomplishing one's goals :). Interesting, no? It's like, common sense or something.

This year, I'm also trying to get fit, but instead of writing "be healthier," I'm making a multi-tier goal sheet for that as well.

1) Get to [redacted goal weight] and stay there

--Phase 1 (2 weeks)
Limit calories 3 days a week
Get on the bike for 30 mins or more twice a week.
Do 5 pushups and 10 situps twice a week.

--Phase 2 (2 weeks)
Limit calories 5 days a week
Get on the bike for 30 mins or more 3-4 times a week.
Do 10 pushups and 20 situps twice a week.

--Phase 3 (Will assess when I get there)
Lose 1lb of fat per week.
Get on the bike for 30 mins or more 3-4 times a week.
Do 15 pushups and 30 situps three times a week.

2) Do an unassisted pull up!

Phase 1 (2 weeks)
Follow above plan until I'm able to do 50 sit ups/50 push ups.
Add 5 negative pull ups into routine 3-4 times a week.

Phase 2 (2-6 weeks)
Move up to 10-20 negative pull ups 3-4 times a week.
Attempt a pull up at least once a week
Don't give up!

Phase 3
Do a pull up in someone's face at the gym
Gloat, complete with fist pumps like Atreyu, in Neverending Story. WOOT!

I'm starting really small and slowly so I know I'll be able to develop the habit, encourage myself, and overall stick with it!

By being specific and breaking it up into smaller goals, I already feel encouraged by having a sensible lunch & breakfast today and doing some push ups at my desk :). Hooray!

What are your plans for this year? Do you have goals you're planning on achiving?

p.s.

I missed you guys! :D How was everyone's holiday?

Blog Chain: Writer by Fate or Choice?

It's Blog Chain time again!

This round, the topic was chosen by the ever-thoughtful Michelle:


Do you choose WHAT you do because of WHO you are? Or is who you are determined by what you do?

Before me, the ever-charming Cole gave her answer. Go check it out! :)


This was an interesting question, and I had to sit and stew on it awhile before coming up with my answer. I very much believe that while God has a plan for us and gives us certain talents to work with, we make our own choices and are the ones who determine our own success. You can give a kid all the advantages in the world, but ultimately, it's up to them to use them.

However, I know for a fact that I've always been a writer.

When I was four or five before I could write properly, I'd lie on the living room floor drawing stories with my crayons. I'd make little books with dozens of pages, illustrating a story even though I couldn't write it out. There was a very exciting rip off of Peter Pan, a story with parachuting tarantulas, several where I was a mermaid and had mer-adventures... you get the picture ;).



The fact that I was determined to make books and tell stories at such a young age convinces me that I've always been this way. Weird, right?

I wrote short stories in elementary school and won some awards. I wrote through high school (and dabbled in horrible, whiny poetry.) I wrote throughout college. And here I am.

I am not myself because I randomly chose at some point to start writing. Writing chose me before I could even put words to paper.



So, what the heck does that mean?

Are we pre-determined to do certain things and can never re-define who or what we are?



I don't really think so.

I think we each are given talents and personality traits, and then are left to do with them what we may. Writing turned out to be my passion, but it's possible that it was because the two parts of me, personality and talent, mixed to create a life long pursuit. I chose it as much as it chose me.

I'm gifted in other areas, but I haven't chosen to pursue them like writing. They didn't feel like they were my destiny--what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. What I was meant to do.


Do you have a desiny? :)

I believe that we all do, but we have to choose it.



We have to decide whether or not we take the opportunities and gifts given us and do something with them.



Am I a born writer, or did writing change me?

I suppose my answer is BOTH :).





Now, next up is the ever-fabulous Kate! Don't miss her answer, coming up tomorrow!





What do you guys think about this question? Did the writing come first, or the writer?