Penultimate!
Day 5 of the #mini1000 words challenge. Mini in the sense that it is ONLY 6 days instead of a whole summer long. Encouraging words from Jamie Attenburg’s email today regarding the daily writing challenge – how hard and arduous, how you could wander and lose your way. But really it comes down to the discipline, the physical act of showing up and writing. Or showing up and maybe no words appear. The message I heard was try, attempt to write every day or at least on a schedule. Because you matter. Your voice needs to be heard.
Truth of the matter is that I didn’t feel very inspired today despite my list of prompts. I took my time getting ready for work so I could delay sitting down and at least starting today’s piece. Part of my morning ritual entails drawing an oracle card from my Enchanted Map deck. Today I selected “Commitment” which I haven’t drawn in months. Taking that as a sign together with Jamie’s guidance has led me here to the keyboard to start.
When I later sit down at the lunch hour to “finish”, embellish what I began, I know I’ll find a way to continue – to put pen to paper, gather up my ideas and wrap the piece up when I get back to my laptop at home once my workday is complete. Guilty! Run-on sentence.
Things that happened today to encourage me:
· Kind true words – BFF’s reaction to my “endearing story – making us all want to spend more time with you” – these words are rocket fuel to propel me, calories to provide the energy to move forward
· Substack email – 1st in series of 6-parts – essentially, things I need to know if I want to go independent on Substack. I am going to follow this series of emails in a timely fashion since it’s important to have the steps to reach my goals under my belt. Wish me luck dear Reader.
· My yogi Jenni has forwarded on an email for her writer friends – a FREE 5-day writing challenge entitled “Sit. Write. Repattern.” Basically designed to “help tap into the power of the non-linear, creative flow to spark insight and create change. Writing + Meditation + Fun”. It starts Mon Aug 16 and continues until Fri Aug 20 and yes, dear Reader, I signed up! The Zoom sessions start with a nano-meditation (looking forward to discovering what that is). Amazing how The Universe just knows – one challenge is ending, another begins!
· Signed up for a virtual seminar “Short Essays for the Internet” through Hugo House (a Seattle based “place for writers” – a wonderful environment that I discovered in the pandemic – grateful, grateful, grateful for this community). Realize that I‘m getting to know myself better as this is a 1-day 3-hour seminar. I eschewed the 6-week session “Personal Essays for Publication”, knowing I’d set out with good intentions while petering out towards the end. And who needs to beat themselves up in such a manner?
· Finally, the last avenue I need to explore is the “Master Class” subscription that was gifted to me on my last birthday. I have a year to explore; however, I find that with this writing challenge and “putting myself out there” that I am thinking of myself in magnificent new ways. Marketing myself may be the next path.
Dear Reader, thank you for joining me on my journey. I feel safe and enveloped in your nurturing arms.
Tomorrow is the last day of the challenge – Fri the 13th no less. You may receive that post on Sat Aug 14th as I’ll be busy at work and in the evening finally attending the theater – “Drunk Shakespeare” (an improv work). I know – so fancy. I’ll let you know how it all works out.
Not too bad Kathleen! Maybe next you do the audio version