I Did It!

30 Days have November and I blogged every stinkin' one of 'em!

In late October, a rush of desire to write more washed over me. Serendipitously, this urge coincided with the beginning of November - a month that has, to the writing community, long celebrated regular and consistent writing practice. So much so that the month of November has been deemed “Novel Writing Month” (NaNoWriMo) - 30 consecutive days where writers commit to write daily in an effort to kickstart, move along or complete a writing practice or project.

As time went on, bloggers adapted the spirit of NaNoWriMo to their own endeavors and so NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month was born. This year my friends, I picked up the NaNoWriMo gauntlet and have, with the publishing of this post, successfully completed my own NaBloPoMo - 30 days, 30 blog posts. I’m beyond proud.

I’ve done it numerous Novembers in the past, so why am I particularly proud this year? I comes down to the challenges I’m currently facing and the fact that despite them, I chose to do something I didn’t have to. I signed up for the “privilege” to, at the end of an exhausting day (and they all seem to be lately) to have one. more. thing. to do… WRITE SOMETHING - anything, really, to fulfill the obligation for which I’d volunteered.

And I’ve done it!

Thirty days of daily blogging has limbered me up in my writer life more than I could have imagined. One example can be found in the client article I wrote this afternoon. It’s a standing due date on the last day of the month. I opened the a new Google Doc and, instead of the “blank screen blues” I frequently encounter when starting a new piece, the words flew out of my fingers - well-considered, coherent, engaging words! It seems that thirty days IS enough for real change to be noticeable. I find myself wondering… WHY would I stop this momentum? This small yet initially scary choice has yielded a tremendous difference in one month. What else is possible when one chooses to take the step - however daunting - toward self?

I’m actively trying to feel more than think these days but I want to say a little about why I think I was successful at keeping this promise to myself, considering current circumstances….

I believe it was because, despite the toll my days take on me, this represented my commitment to show up for myself; to not let myself down. It was an opportunity to have the power to, at the end of every day, regroup and keep a promise to a dear friend - myself. And I found that to be a tremendously motivating energy.

The lesson I’m gleaning from this is: When you don’t think you can handle one more thing… take on something for yourself. Trust your heart to lead you to the right something and it will give you so much more than it takes from you.

This is Gina signing off for November but you can bet your bottom dollar that you’ll be hearing from me in December - and beyond - because of the gift of NaBloPoMo I gave myself this year.