Today is the first
anniversary of this blog, which means it also a year since leaving teaching and
starting writing. This blog started out as an exploration of what it means to
live the good life. I don’t think it has veered too much off course, but I have
been surprised by how it has reflected my own inner-life, rather than pure
reflections on philosophical ideas and psychology.
This whole process has
been a cycle of starting new things, learning new skills and then starting over
again. Writing, reading, editing and making amendments feels very much like
taking one step forwards and then two steps back. I am reminded of an earlier
post when I wrote about how the first steps of a child are celebrated. * Often
those first faltering steps are followed by stumbles and a fall. This year I
have taken my first proper steps into writing. There have been moments of
delight in sensing that I am making progress and moving forwards but there have
been times of stumbles and falls. I am learning to pick myself up again and to use
the steps taken as motivation to keep going.
A number of people have
asked me how I can be self-motivated and keep on writing. I feel the
expectation to say something wise and profound. The truth is I am finding it
much like someone describes eating an elephant – manageable one bite at a time!
Sometimes I am fed up of eating elephant and sometimes I am overwhelmed by the
size of it. I recognise though that this time is a gift. I do not want to look
back at my life and wonder ‘what if’ so I find things that enable me to keep
going. One of them seems an unlikely motivator, but it works for me. There is a
post-it on my desk that simply says ‘It’s always too soon to quit.’ I do
not know what the outcome of all this writing will be, that is something that
is out of my control but my response to whether I write is within my control –
so it’s always too soon to quit!
This anniversary is an
opportunity to look back, to reflect upon the highs and lows, the mistakes and
lessons learned. It is also a chance to look forward, to set new goals and
ideas into motion. Here in the present, is an opportunity to celebrate and be
grateful.
I am grateful for this
amazing gift of time and space to write. I owe this to the generosity and
unwavering support of my husband, who was and still is willing to support me in
giving up a paid full-time job to embark upon this writing adventure. I am grateful
to you, the readers. Thank you for travelling this journey with me. For those
of you who have commented, whether it is on the posts or in real life, I really
appreciate you getting involved! Thank you to those who have spoken words of
encouragement and belief in me – you are worth more than a million post-its!
Thank you to my giraffe-otter friend – your proof-reading skills, advice and
encouragement are priceless.
Although there is no call
(yet) from the publisher, tonight we will celebrate. We have so much to be
thankful for. And the little steps are worth celebrating just as much as the
big ones.
What small steps could you
celebrate at the moment?
What helps you stay
motivated?
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