My Way, My Pace

My Way, My Pace

I was going to publish a book in January, but then I decided not to. Here’s why.

 

My Way, My Pace

 

My Way, My Pace

 

In order for it to get done, I would have had to “hustle” (shudder) to get editing, covers and sales copy ready.

 

And you know what? I was still on holidays. I had no desire to work that hard. That’s the whole point of holidays and downtime!

 

So I updated my book schedule for 2020 to plan for the first release to be in February, not January. And now it’s the end of March, my brain is consumed with other issues thanks to a global pandemic, and I still haven’t done the final touches to get it ready for release. It is a satire book, so April 1st would be a great release day. If I got it done… who knows. Maybe I’ll have a magical burst of energy and do it. Or maybe I won’t. 

 

Just because I like to talk about embracing my shiny objects and being anti hustle and wasting time … that doesn’t mean that I never feel any weird pressure from nowhere. I still feel a build up of shoulds (psst buy Fuck Should and my other books here) and that I need to do X by Y date OR ELSE.

 

But …or else what?

 

The whole point of working and writing and creating myself is that I am mostly free of those expectations.

 

Tell the expectations to bugger off if you feel them raise their head.

 

A self-imposed deadline is just that, self-imposed. If you need (or want) to change it, then change it!

 

Value your time and space – including the DOWN TIME and space. It makes things in life a hell of a lot more sustainable.

 

And a note on when you “can” do things: I wrote this post in January. It got bumped along my editorial schedule and now it’s almost April. You can reflect, start things, end things, change things – at ANY time of the year.

12 Replies to “My Way, My Pace”

  1. You nailed it with that last sentence “You can reflect, start things, end things, change things – at ANY time of the year.” It’s always a good day to publish something you’ve written so whenever you do it, the time will be right because it will be right for YOU.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      This is why I’m not a planner – it has to be the time that suits me. Which is hard to plan for.

  2. Yes, I agree, Ness. In the end, it is what’s right for YOU that matters. It’s such a journey to discover this, isn’t it?

    SSG xxx

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      And patience too – which I am not the best at!

  3. I can relate to those feelings of thinking we SHOULD do something but kinda sensing deep down we’re not ready or that we don’t actually want to (at the moment).

    I think I’m finally getting better at listening to ‘those’ voices in my head. (Not the other ones!!!)

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      I mostly just don’t want to edit/review as I lack the attention span for those tasks haha

  4. Good for you to do things at your own pace. My mantra is my day my way. #lifethisweek

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      Good mantra!

  5. Yes to this. I am actually sleeping in more and not feeling the least bit guilty. I have nowhere to go or be. Life without ‘shoulds’ is my goal.

    Thank you for linking up for Life This Week. Next week, the optional prompt is 14/51 Self-Care Stories #2. 6.4.2020 and I hope to see you link up then too. Denyse.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      I have surprised myself by being able to sleep in. I though it would be harder after so many years of early starts.

  6. I have to remind myself of this so often. We do what we do to create freedom for ourselves (to create, to live and to breathe) it seems silly to forget to do all those things and just hustle. Thanks for the reminder, lady.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      Especially when I was going to rush when I was literally on holidays…. NO! BAD SELF! haha

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