Objective: Relax

Everyone knows that New Year’s Resolutions are nonsense. Who actually keeps those for more than a few weeks? So I prefer to take opportunities like my birthday or New Year’s to evaluate who I am and ask what I need to change to be a better follower of Christ and a better woman, wife, and mother. One of the things I realized—and I’m afraid it’s nothing new—is that I really need to learn how to RELAX.

Some people take life one day at time. They just take what is in front of them. Must be nice. I am self-published, so in terms of my writing career, I don’t have a boss to report to or deadlines to stress about. I’m my own boss. But unfortunately, I’m a very demanding one.

My list of things to do is massive, and what I want to accomplish each week is usually more than is humanly feasible. Because I do have a paying job, a house to clean, and a family who counts on me for meals and clean clothing. And I’m grateful for my job, my home, and my family. I just need more hours in the day, that’s all.

I find myself thinking that although sleeping and eating are essential, they are such a waste of precious time. I have too much to get done! And then I remind myself that the world isn’t going to come to a shrieking halt if I don’t get my novel published on Smashwords this week, or if I don’t get the white laundry folded. It’s mostly socks anyway.

I finished the rough draft of Book Two, and now I’m eager to read through it and make necessary revisions and edits. And I'm already taking notes for when I begin Book Three. But I need to balance my desire to work on books 2 & 3 with the practical necessity of promoting the first. I spent the day driving around on Friday and found a few bookstores on the Eastern shore willing to put it on their Local Author shelf, and when I have a chance, I’ll target Annapolis.

I’m still trying to get used to the role of Novelist. And the idea of book signings still makes me anxious. I’m scheduled on February 8th at the News Center in Easton from eleven to one o’clock, for those of you on the Eastern Shore.

But I’m going to try to take deep breaths and relax, keeping it all in perspective. There’s always tomorrow for what didn’t get done today. And there’s always next week for what doesn’t get done this week.

So this is me, cuddling with my seventy pound puppy and trying to just relax!