Good afternoon folks, how are we all doing?

I have been really struggling to get anything writing related done the last few days. Like all of us, I have a lot going on and am feeling for those in Ukraine at the moment. But I’ve got to push on and get cracking. There’s no excuses. I can take a day, but thats it. It’s not hard for me to work on writing for half an hour five days a week. This coming weekend is going to be very busy so I doubt I’m going to get that half an hour. Because, it’s not just half an hour. I’ll have a timer going to half an hour, but I’ll be getting settled beforehand. Things like getting some music going, making sure I have a drink. I might need to see to some writing housekeeping. Then there can be a little time afterwards where I’ll do what I’m doing now and writing a blog post, or making some notes for tomorrows work.

So although I set a timer for half an hour it rarely is. That’s why when it comes to days when I’m doing a nine or ten hour shift I’m not noting down on my week planner that I’ll be word wrangling that day. Or if I’ve got work and other plans I won’t be setting a writing goal for that day. That doesn’t mean I won’t be writing. I’m going to try and make more effort to write in small gaps of time that I’ve got during the day. I’ve been doing that but some of it is writing for myself. I’ve got my struggles with mental health. I’ve talked about it here before, and I’m trying to write out the things I’m trying to figure out. I’m writing it like it’s for this blog, and some of it I will be publishing here. What I’m working on at the moment I’m not going to, but some I will.

I’ve had a little therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy and those have given me some very helpful tools in how to start looking into the whys of my struggles. It’s something I’m finding hard but also quite freeing. I’m also at the start of this journey and it’s a journey that doesn’t have a destination. And I’m really cool with that. I want to keep growing as a person for as long as I am able to.

Tonight I have a writing group to go to, it feels good saying that. Covid is still there, but I think we’re getting to the point where we’re learning to live with it.

I’m going to end this post by saying that I’ve had three people who I greatly respect telling me I’ve got the ability to be in essence a working writer. This is something I need to attach to more. I let the self-doubt dominate and cripple me at times. This last week has been a good example of that. I say I haven’t written for non-writing reasons, but nine times out of ten, no matter what is happening around me stops me writing. I’ve got past that, and I know how much being productive helps me as an individual maintaining a strong level of mental health. The more I create, the stronger and more capable I am. It’s not a false sense of ability, it’s knowing I have the ability to create and make this writing game work.

Have a good week folks!