Happy September!
Happy turning of the seasons from rainy Scotland.
I'm sitting typing this listening to the rain, cozy cardigan and cozy socks on - and not in the least bit sad about it. I love the summer and the sun, but I also adore the sense of fresh 'new term' and renewal that the shift to autumn September brings.
I am also starting off September strong(er) that I thought possible.
I'm in a terrible pain flare at the moment and we had a false start with back to school here as we all caught the cold after the first week back.
I felt deep in burnout last week.
So what has changed?
Firstly, I've got a couple of days where I am not on full time mum mode and doing all of the running and this is giving me a chance to think (!) to plan and to write.
I have spent this morning making a reel, commissioning a cover, and writing this. This is the most productive I have been since probably May!
Secondly, I had the pep from doing some creative well refilling over the weekend. As my eldest is entering the teen era, we are enjoying more low-key, low-stress, fun things bonding time. We are having an absolute blast mooching, doing a bit of shopping, and chatting and playing about with makeup and having little coffee dates.
Not (yet) outfoxed!
On our little shopping trip, we, of course, headed to one of our favourite places - TK Maxx -to mooch and check out the autumn goodies and sniff the candles, obviously.
I also made a bee line to the stationary ailse and immediately spotted the notebook pictured at the start of this post.
Foxes are one of my favourite animals, symbols, and visitors to our city garden.
Cue cute bonus picture of the fox my youngest drew for me.
Foxes are also a core motif in my cozy mystery series; giving that little nod to folk horror.
The title reminded me that I can be braver still
I know I am pretty brave, resilient etc. Getting up and getting on and finding the fun and humour through endometriosis and surgeries and medications and progressively feeling worse is no mean feat.
Choosing to leave a career (and salary and pension) is also pretty brave - I backed myself after letting a job make me more unwell.
Choosing to pursue indie publishing - also brave; it's a big gamble.
BUT - I can be braver still. And I need to be.
I need to be braver in advocating more for my time, needs and boundaries that enable me to sporadically, in fits and starts, think, write, inch closer to publication.
I need to be braver about simply having fun. Not just getting through a day, but having little glimmers in that.
Writing - as reading, as blogging, as fiction - has always been therapeutic, escapist, joy, fun, a community for me - and I need all of those things in spades.
So - here is to being braver and showing up and sharing more. Writing more. Participating in joyful little things without apology or explanation more.
I'm wishing you all some of this if you need it for your own strong September start.
And a P.S to No Guilty Pleasures joys :)
And - bring on the pumpkin spice. And nope, I'm not even remotely sorry for being this basic!
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