It’s time to write my article for the week. It’s been time to write my article since last Wednesday. Elizabeth Writes semi-officially launched after a soft launch last summer. I call it a “soft launch” to make it sound like I somehow planned it, but I didn’t. After running my previous blog, Neptune Your Dial, for six years, I decided to start something new. My interests in content creation have shifted. The old blog was more of a trial-and-error, feel-it-out process with little structure as I explored what I want to write about and what actually works in the blogging space.
The concept and look for Elizabeth Writes have been conceived. The structure is there, in theory. After a nearly two year blogging hiatus, I’m struggling with the planning, execution and deadlines. Objectively, the most important ingredients for publishing.
Instead of writing my article this week I read self-help books. I deep cleaned my apartment. I attended happy hour with coworkers. I stayed in bed too long. I went to yoga. I cooked a bunch of food. I FaceTimed my friend. I ate Pad Thai while watching Ginny & Georgia to cure my hangover.
The story I was originally planning to write for this week isn’t ready because I allowed myself to get distracted… by everything. I didn’t organize my time as wisely as I should.
Part of me wants to fall back into old habits of going with the flow, not putting too much pressure on myself because I’m just doing this for me, right? Just doing this for fun?
Last night I sat on the couch watching television for two hours. There was a time in my life where I would have felt bad for doing this and made it my narrative that I can never meet my own deadlines. But, honestly, I needed to rest and it felt really good. I’ve gone through some changes in my life over the past month, both internal and external and haven’t really had time to process. All those things that I listed above, that I did instead of writing, aren’t inherently bad things. Most (not all) are necessary elements for me to live a peaceful and joyful life, but they were piecemealed outlets and some just distractions because I wasn’t admitting to myself that what I really needed was rest. Everyone needs time to rest and it’s important to give the mind a relaxed environment to process life as well as giving the nervous system a break.
The excuses aren’t great and I was hoping to post a well-researched piece on neuroscience, but I am committed to posting every Wednesday. I picked Wednesday because I watched the Netflix series centered on that Addams family member whose name pays homage to a line from a nursery rhyme—”Wednesday’s child is full of woe.” I like that line.
Wednesday is fast approaching as I write this. In fact, it’s tomorrow. I’m committed to posting. I told myself I would and I’m keeping that promise.