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A Challenging July

Well, friends, today is the last day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge, and I’ve done 27 out of 31 posts this month. I’m going to call that a win for me! I actually took on three separate challenges this past month, and completing them all has not been easy. But I put in the time and effort, so I’m giving myself high marks. Here are my results.

The Ultimate Blog Challenge

I’m thrilled with the 27 posts I’ve written this month. It is not easy to come up with a new topic every day, and I am proud to report that I only skipped four days. But this challenge was never really a numbers game for me. I came into it wanting to establish a daily writing habit, and I did. I carved out time to write and made it a priority. On the days when the words wouldn’t come, I didn’t fret about imposter syndrome or writer’s block. I took those days to mean I needed a break. Giving up was never an option because I knew the words would be there when I returned to my laptop.

I want to thank Paul Taubman, our UBC leader, who sent daily emails of ideas and encouragement for the entire month. I didn’t always take your suggestions, but I save every last one of them for when I need inspiration. I also want to thank everyone who read and commented on these blogs. Your support means the world to me, and as long as you keep reading, I’ll keep writing.

(And please subscribe so you don’t miss any posts. There is plenty more to come! 🙂 )

No Book Buy July

This challenge came to me from another blogger who suggested a “no buy July.” I was intrigued by the idea but didn’t want to go all in. So, I modified it not to buy books for the entire month. It took a lot of discipline not to download books from Audible or visit my local indie bookstore, but I made it through without buying one book. And boy, was I tempted! I didn’t stop listening to book-themed podcasts or ignore Facebook groups that I subscribe to, like Currently Reading. 

I planned to shop my shelves and read books I already own. Sadly, I only read one book and DNF’d two other ones. So, it wasn’t the best reading month for me. But at least I don’t have more books to choose from because I have plenty already. I’ll probably extend this challenge til the end of the summer and then hit up a few indie bookstores while we are on vacation in September. I can’t deny myself the pleasure of buying books forever, but another month will be good for the bank account and my personal library.

Step Challenge

In yesterday’s post, I wrote about the step challenge. I am continuing my streak of 10K steps daily and am at eight days straight. Today was a beautiful day for walking, so Chloe and I took a nice stroll around the neighborhood. This challenge also includes incentives to add bonus miles to our team total. Last week, I accomplished all three incentives – walking 10K steps for five days straight, walking with a new friend, and walking in a new location. Here is hoping our team is in second place this week. I know I did my part and will continue to do so.

Did you do any challenges this summer? How did it go? Let me know in the comments!

XO,
Elisa

Celebrating Self-Care Awareness Day

Life is crazy busy, and we often put ourselves last on the priority list. It’s not our fault. A third of our days could be spent on work or taking care of our families, while another third we are sleeping. And I couldn’t even tell you what I did during the third slice of that 24-hour pie. Cooking? Cleaning? Showering? Reading? Sky-Diving?

Okay, maybe not sky-diving. I’d remember that.

So, after running errands yesterday, I had a decision to make — go home and do laundry or stop at Rita’s Water Ice for a treat. As if deciding for me, the car sped past the turnoff to my house and headed straight toward the nearest Rita’s. I had the mango gelati with vanilla custard. Delicious. Sometimes, it is the little things that make a big difference.

Yesterday was International Self-Care Day. It is purposely set on the 24th day of July (the seventh month of the year) to remind us to practice self-care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. According to this website, self-care is meant to “protect one’s happiness and well-being, especially during times of stress.” This year’s theme is “Resilience, Adaptability, and Thriving in Adversity.” That is quite a tall order, but not impossible. When I posted a question about practicing self-care on my Facebook page today, here are some of the ways my friends do it.

  • Stop checking their email
  • Turning off their phone
  • Meeting up with a friend for a meal (or a gelati)
  • Enjoying a nature walk
  • Spending some time in therapy
  • Immersing oneself in an activity they love, such as gardening, tennis, journaling, or krav maga.
  • Saying no and setting boundaries

Practicing self-care is nothing to feel guilty about. We should embrace it and make sure it is an integral part of our lives. It helps us relieve stress, avoid burnout, and feel better. Some days, it’s about treating ourselves to a mango gelati. Other times, it can be a mani/pedi, some retail therapy, or a mental health day. The important thing is to give yourself permission to put yourself first — before doing the laundry.

What would you add to this list? Put your answer in the comments, and then do it. 🙂 

XO,

Elisa

 

Writer-In-Training

“Writing to me is like thinking through my fingers.”

– Isaac Asimov

Nine years ago, I walked into a local writers’ workshop, and I’ve never looked back. I remember being anxious about it at first. I was a former obit writer/beat reporter who hadn’t composed anything creative in years. What if I didn’t fit in? Or worse, what if I wasn’t good enough? That first night, I wrote a short story and a type of poem called a villanelle. Oy! I thought I was way out of my league, but I left feeling like I found my long-lost family of writers.

One of the first pieces I wrote was about picking up Jenna from her Jewish overnight camp and learning she was now a vegetarian. I wondered on the page how that happened and wrongly assumed this was a phase she would quickly grow out of at the sight of her first hot dog. (She was a vegetarian for three years!)

I was encouraged to submit that story somewhere, and ultimately it was picked up by Kveller.com. (Here is that story.) Not only was I now a blogger with a byline, but I became a regular at the writing workshop. I am a better writer because of the support I’ve received from Rachel, my writing coach, and my peers. The positive feedback and constructive criticism gifted to me with each piece I submit allow me to discover something new about my craft. And the opportunity to reciprocate by supporting and helping other writers is a privilege I never take for granted.

Becoming a good literary citizen is an essential part of this training.

Since that first workshop, I’ve learned how to use em dashes and how not to rely on cliches. I know the importance of choosing strong verbs and including sensory details in a story. At the moment, my biggest challenge is remembering to put more of myself into what I write instead of just relaying what happened. This is becoming a problem because if I want to write a memoir or publish a collection of personal essays, being able to write about myself is a must.

Using all these tools, I’m building up my writing muscles to offer stories that pack a punch.

I’ve also discovered the self-care side of writing, like being kinder to myself, overcoming writer’s block, and fighting off imposter syndrome. I’ve established a routine and identified mornings as my best time for writing. I blog just about every day now but allow myself a break to avoid burnout. I feed my creative soul with excellent books, motivational quotes, good music, and long walks.

Permitting myself to indulge in self-care may be the most important part of my training.

So, even if I publish my book and sell many copies (G-d willing!), I’ll always be a writer-in-training. There is so much more for me to learn, many writers to continue supporting, and so many stories to tell. And I am here for all of it.

What have you learned about writing? Please share in the comments.

XO,

Elisa

 

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