One Step at a Time – Re-Becoming a Writer

 This post is in participation of the IWSG.

First of all, I would like to apologize for missing last month’s post.  I did not participate in posting or in reviewing other writer’s posts.  I really, really, really do want to be part of this group.  I will strive to keep my monthly commitment moving forward.

With that said, my first post, back in January, was all about admitting to myself that I am a writer.  It was also about believing in myself, and taking the steps towards writing my next book.

Right after Christmas, a life event directed all of my energy elsewhere.  My husband’s mom passed away very suddenly and completely unexpectedly.  For my husband and I, it was our first loss of a parent.  My father-in-law moved in with us for a while.  Skills that I didn’t fully realize were simply a part of me surfaced.  I played the part of project manager as my husband, my father-in-law, and the rest of our dear mom’s immediate family forged through a very tough week.  We were all in shock, but, there was so much to be done.  I was so grateful for all of the experience I had gained from being in a professional environment, guiding along big system projects. I was even more grateful for my ability to simply be open and allow myself to be guided and to respond to what was most important at any given moment.  I found myself saying things to others that somehow helped, but that I wasn’t sure where these words had come from.

As time passed, I chose to take the example that both my husband and my father-in-law were giving.  They were taking one step forward, one day at a time.  I decided to first get back into my fitness routine.  It was really tough.  But simply showing up to the gym and moving through the motions got both my physical and mental beings moving again.  After a couple of weeks, I had momentum.

The next step was to regain the momentum I had really started feeling on my writing.  My new book.  My big project for this year!  Now this was really hard.  I made time.  I sat down.  I roughed out plans and identified tasks.  But I simply couldn’t get myself to really do it.  My heart wasn’t in it.  I finally had a heart-to-heart with myself, and realized that I simply felt that my book was so insignificant after losing a wonderful woman who was a mom to me.  Then I remembered how excited she was about me writing another book.  In fact, she was the first one to say that she couldn’t wait to read it!  I let all of feelings and thoughts that were holding me go.

I am really excited to report that I am now in full swing again.  I am deep in research mode, and am planning out the coming months.  I am so grateful to have the passion and the talent (well at least I hope I have the talent) to write a book.

So to all of you fellow writers, when things get you down, know that you are not alone.  Take a deep breath, identify what barrier is in your way, acknowledge it, remove it, and move forward.  The world deserves to receive your gift of words!!!