Challenge: The Five Minute Sneak

Can't do much in five minutes huh? During your next writing session, identify one or two areas that you need to fill out a bit. Nothing highly technical.

Now, at one point during the day, when you have a free five minutes, pick one of those tasks and write.

How much did you write? Multiple that by, say, 20 for the month. How many words was that?

It adds up.

A list of personal strengths

Sometimes, a random web search turns up something useful. Here is a list of personal strengths that I really like. To grow and make changes in life, we need to not change that which is problematic, but to maximize what we do well. Check out this simple list. 

"Oh no, here I go again!"

The academic year started. After a good summer of writing (or perhaps a not so good summer), you promise yourself you are going to engage in daily (or near daily) writing. You have listened to the many experts, and know that all you have to do is a half hour of writing per day. You tell yourself, you can do this. It is easy.

For a week, it goes well, And then, something happens. A day of committee meetings. Finding an article that feels too similar to the one you are writing. The realization that you are "behind". Comparisons to others. Ect.

And then.......

Knowledge is only half the battle. To really implement a writing ritual, you have to work on YOU. You must find a way of addressing your personal constellation of blocks and barriers, and learn how to work on each while you continue to maximize your strengths.

A place to start; read my posts from last summer, that I wrote to help you navigate these issues. I call last summer "psychosocial summer"- for those who feel stuck, and just can't make the changes they need that feel really simple. Simple yes, easy, no. Not easy at all.

What a Difference A Year Makes

Its been a while since I have written a personal post, updating my readers about my life. If you are a new reader,  I was divorced rather unexpectedly a year ago. The timing sucked (if indeed the timing of a shocking abandonment can ever be good!), as it coincided with my 50th B day and the start of my empty next syndrome.

So, a year later, how am I doing?

Rather fantastic, really. I am in a new relationship that is pretty amazing. Never have I felt so heard, valued, understood, and respected. After a year away, my baby is back home, about to start college where I teach, UW Tacoma. My coaching practice has been wonderful. I am pretty much booked up at this point (get on the waiting list, if your interested in working with me ;), and I am fortunate to be working with some really amazing scholars. Its too much fun.

Still working out 4-6 times a week. Learning to play the ukulele. Still working back toward being as engaged in teaching as I once was; not uncommon for mid-career faculty. Rewriting Practical Tips for Publishing Scholarly Articles, and doing the revision of my text book that actually sells, Navigating Human Services.

I still feel shock, loss, and grief at times. I am still sad at the loss of my sense of forever family. I still feel mistreated, abandoned, and thrown away, at times. I am working through it. I am solid!

Loss is a process. Life is a process. Writing is a process.  I am working on embracing all three (the later I am good at, the other two, training wheels! )- staying in the moment, moving forward, trusting. Living. Loving. Writing.

Challenge: The Start of the Academic Year

Ok, summer is over (for all of you in the semester system :)). Now that you are back, consider what you need to do to in order to be successful over the next few months. Consider the promises you always make to yourself; do they work? Are they realistic? Do you have the skills and tools to get to where you want to go?

A few thoughts to help you slowly start your year. 

Sorry for the Slow July

Only a few blog posts in July; a lot on my summer plate. I hope I am more helpful to my readers in August. Don't forgot to look for old posts on writing/publishing problems you are having, and if you can't find one, let me know! I will write about it- at some point :).