WHEN LIFE GETS IN THE WAY



In the past two days, I have worked 25 hours ...

And as you might expect, there has been precious LITTLE time for me to write.

HAS LIFE EVER GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF YOUR DREAMS?

“That's what happens to dreams, life gets in the way.”    ― Jodi Picoult, Handle With Care

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

As a young man, Arnold decided to get up 30 minutes earlier than he wanted and to study for an entire year a subject he wanted to know better.

I decided to do that as well.  It works for me even in this harsh, time-draining job of mine.  I get up 15 minutes early and stay up 15 minutes later to get in a little writing.

Sometimes life insists on her way, and I let her ... for a day or two.  But then, I fall back into the pattern again.



A young man was told by his physician that because of his neuro-muscular disease, he would only be 70% all his days.  He grew depressed.  He sat channel surfing and came upon Arnold in PREDATOR.

He thought to himself:

"70% of Arnold?  Why not?"

  And so began his long, grueling days of physical training.  He now looks like a lean tiger and moves more graceful than before the diagnosis.

There is a path if we but look for it.

We bloggers are better writers for we know we are not alone.



 All of this is too general?

How can we write when there is so much pressing in on us?

1. Pinpoint Underlying Issues.

If you've always wanted to write and aren't doing it, invest some thought in figuring out the source of your writer's block. Is it a fear of failure, a longstanding tendency to procrastinate, or something as simple as a lack of writing space?

Find the flaw -- then, map out a plan to deal with it.

2. Just Say "No."

Time is limited, and for most people, the demands on their time are unlimited.

Once you've determined what you want to say yes to, the ability to say no becomes an important muscle to build.

While your writing time should not be the most important thing in your life, it should give way only for the more important things in your life.

3. Schedule Time to Write.

It's not glamorous or exciting to adhere to a schedule, but it really does help.

If you work full-time, it may actually be easier to establish a regular time each day in which to write.

Get up early and write before you leave the house, take a notepad with you to lunch, or stop off at a coffee shop on your way home.

 4. Resist the Impulse to Overdo It.

If you're the kind of person who tends to throw yourself into a new project only to burn out after a week or two,

consider giving yourself stop times for writing.

5. Know That It Won't Always Be Easy.

You may be more tired at the end of the day.

Some social obligations might get pushed aside.

Your family might have to pitch in.

Decide what you're willing to sacrifice for a few hours a week dedicated to writing.

Most of us have obligations we can't avoid, but if you're determined, you can manage both.

At the same time, be content with whatever you can realistically give to your writing. Even an hour a day adds up over time.

What do you do when life presses in on you?

How do you cope with

lack of time's

strangle-hold on your

writing?