Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Survival Tip #11: Ditch the Guilt

Life is crazy for me right now.  Life is crazy all over.  I had a guest poster lined up for Monday and we both forgot about it until last night.  Derp.  Maybe she'll get me a post by next Monday.  Maybe not.

I know she feels guilty about it.  I'm definite I feel guilty about it.  Just one more thing thrown on the pre-bonfire pile of things I can light to keep myself warm at night.

I feel really guilty about the fact that I haven't written since before I left on my trip to Michigan.  I did type up my hand-written pages from before, and I did some thinking about the story (because I hit a wall and didn't know where to go next).  But it's not where I want my career goals to head.

Still, the guilt isn't doing me any good.  Guilt usually doesn't do anyone any good. 

So, from here on out - until my life balances and I'm not crazy-busy - I'm going to ditch the guilt.  I'll write what I can when I can, and when I can get back on track, I will set a writing schedule and stick to it.

Because sometimes the other things in life have to take precedence.  Now, if I was a published writer, or at least under contract, I might have to adjust that view.  For now, though, I am an Unpub.  I have the luxury of letting life overwhelm me, and allowing for my writing to slip a little*.

Ditch the guilt.  Yeah.  That sounds like sound advice.  Plus, it makes a great survival tip.  If you're drowning in guilt, your creative process is taking a hit, too.  Don't let that happen or this guilt could snowball into months of not writing.  (Been there, done that.) 

What's some guilt you can ditch today?


*Only a little.  I will get back to writing as soon as this other stuff settles down.  Promise.

6 comments:

  1. Okay, so I am published, and I've been under contract and I can tell you the guilt doesn't get better. In fact it gets worse. And now that I've dived into the self-publishing pool it's ratcheted up even more since "everything depends on me".

    I agree that ditching the guilt can be a good short-term solution....I personally have never managed to pull if off, but more power to you if YOU can!

    Hang in there. Life WILL calm down eventually.

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  2. Yep - excellent advice, B.E. I'm working on ditching some guilt, too - and coming to terms with some decisions that shouldn't cause me guilt, but do (I am ruled by guilt - I thank my mother for that ;)

    Go easy on yourself - you have a lot on your plate right now. When things settle, you'll get back to doing what you do best!!

    BTW - loved the 'pre-bonfire' line!!

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  3. I'm trying, JB. It's easier to say 'ditch the guilt' than it is to do it. ;o)

    LOL, thanks for liking my pre-bonfire line, Janet. And what I said to JB goes for you, too. Good luck with ditching your guilt.

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  4. I think that's great advice, hun. We all need to ditch the guilt sometimes. A lot of stuff isn't in our power to control--there's no use in stressing over that right now. As JB said, it will be even more stressful when you have a contract, but right now you CAN ditch the guilt because you aren't beholden to anyone else.

    Good luck! xo

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  5. Guilt and stress kills creativity faster than stepping barefooted in a wet hairball in the middle of the night.

    That said, guilty as charged. I am learning to manage it better. Sometimes, you just have to let go, live what life throws at you and know that eventually, you'll get back to what's important. And guess what?!? YOU get to decide what is important to you. That's the way it works. *looks up at Janet, too--same message!*

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  6. Thanks, Nat. And yeah, JB is a wise woman. =o)

    LOL about the hairball analogy, Silver. You kill me. And I think we all need that message - not just Janet and I.

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