Hey Friends,
If you’re getting this late on Sunday, I apologize. That’s totally on me. If you’re getting this on Monday, you’re probably one of the people I text the link to, and I’m not about texting folk late at night. I mean, it’s still Sunday in MY time zone, so we’re still good, LOL. It’s not that I wasn’t locked in to getting this out. I had to prioritize what I was locked into.
While summer break had its own set of obligations, the school year is already shaping up to be substantially more intense. I thought I’d be high stepping on Easy Street with the kids starting school this past week. I was wrong. I was very wrong. However, I’m no stranger to thinking things will be easier than what they actually turn out to be.
It’s a very frustrating, yet common, occurrence for me as a writer, and it’s usually because of one of two things:
I can’t lock in.
I’m locked in, but my creativity is locked out.
The result is the same. I can’t do the things that I want to do. There’s a lot of advice out there that basically boils down to you’ve got to get out of your own way. However, if you’re like me, you feel like that’s easier said than done.
Essentially, my issue of getting out of my own way often requires me to
Get out of my head
Stop consistently allowing myself to prioritize everything other than my own needs
I really struggle with that last one because, to me, it starts to feel selfish. I’ve heard that sometimes you have to be a little bit selfish in order to avoid building up resentment.
Question for you, my friend: When’s the last time you locked in for yourself?
I think I’m at a point where I need to shake things up a bit. It's not that the way that I used to do things is no longer working. I just think that I can be more efficient and happier if I lock in differently.
It started on the first day of school. What did I prioritize once the kids were at school for the day? I made a to-do list and knocked out some bills. I exercised and followed up with a nap. Then, I made a protein shake and danced around the living room as I enjoyed it. After that, I locked in to what I had to do for work.
The second day of school, I locked in differently. I started my morning off drinking pineapple and turmeric water while doing the Electric Slide. I locked in and made writing my priority. It was glorious! Afterwards, my work obligations seemed less dreary, and I actually got more done than I had the previous day. It’s funny how I locked in for myself first and the world did not fall apart.
I dare you to give it a try! This week, how will you lock in differently? Leave a comment here or on one of my social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, BlueSky, or LinkedIn.
Until next Sunday…
-Ash