Goodness, so much has happened this past month to keep me away from blogging! NaNoWriMo was a thrill to participate in for the first time. It was everything I thought it would be and more. The community of people involved (both locally and online) was so welcoming and enthusiastic, it really made you feel like you were part of something huge and significant. I will definitely be taking part in next year’s writing marathon. Thank you everyone who cheered me on.
I started a research assistant position midway through September and immediately had a very tight deadline to meet for a manuscript. Because of that I was unable to reach my 50k word goal for NaNoWriMo. I still feel like a winner, though, because I learned something so simple yet profound: I have time enough for anything if I choose to make the time for it. Although I couldn’t add 1,665 words to my story every day, I could and did add a paragraph here or a couple of sentences there every single day. I got more work done on my story this past month than I had all year. Before NaNoWriMo, if I didn’t have at least several hours free to work on my writing, I wouldn’t bother. I had a very “all or nothing” mentality about my writing. Now I know I can accomplish so much just by adding little pieces here and there. This experience has truly been a breakthrough for me as a writer.
I hope everyone gets a chance to go through an experience equally enlightening. Life really is about taking small steps towards your goal. It may take you a little longer, but you will get to where you want to go someday. If you take off sprinting towards your destination, you may end up burning out long before you near the finish line.
Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful holiday this winter season!
Photo: My sister’s dog Chuy is ready for Christmas! Are you?
