Journal/Blog

12-1-22 Writing, Reviewing, Last Month of 2022

I always think this every year, but how did we get to December so quickly? It really does seem like just yesterday it was New Year's.

December 2022 has been ushered in with stress, happiness, problems, celebrations, and change. Of course, that's the only thing that stays the same, right? Change. For a long time, I have felt more stressed and on edge because - frankly - every time I let myself get comfortable, something happens to spur on change in my life. Most of it turns out to be good change, even if the beginning of it is all chaos and heartache. My family and I are good at being flexible and sticking together to get what needs to be done, done. Even though we are all feeling weary and have our own individual issues to address, we have once again pulled together to support one another and provide reassurance that everything will be ok. And the simple truth is that it will be, one way or another. The sun sets tonight, it rises tomorrow and another day full of possibilities will begin.

One day earlier this week was a particularly long one that was filled with different kinds of stress. I had made it to the evening and still had things to do, but I grabbed just a few spare minutes time to sit down and read a couple of items posted on here and do reviews for them. For just that brief amount of time, I was separate from everything else. I set down my burdens and found joy in the words of others, feeling what they had written and experiencing the worlds they created. I'm pretty sure it dropped my blood pressure by a significant amount. I literally felt more relaxed, more focused and refreshed with a renewed sense of optimism.

I really enjoy reviewing items on WDC. I have felt guilty because at times, when I am tied in knots from trying to put words into my own projects, I will pop out and do some reviewing. The thought repeats in the back of my brain that I should be writing, but the truth is that I am writing, just in another format. It's all exercise for the brain... and if it can provide some true stress relief, then - yes, please! It also leaves me feeling lighter and in a better frame of mind to go back to my own writing.

Writing - oh, how I love to write. Seriously, I do. It's sometimes more of a need than a desire. I feel better afterward. I sleep better. My mind feels less cluttered and there is a wonderful sense of accomplishment to get those characters out of my head and onto the page. But there is stress with it. I edit while I write and then end up writing very little. I get frustrated with a storyline, so I choose another to work on instead of sticking it through with the current one. I'm still trying to figure it all out and the trying to figure it out is driving me batty. URGH.

But. Here I am on the first day of the last month of the year. I have made progress. I am improving. It's a process and it's one that I am going to enjoy being here to be able to continue working on. If the only thing that stays the same is change, then I choose to do my best to make those changes count for something worthwhile.