Thankful for What's Happening

I decided to take a break from writing after publishing Haunting Poetry for Halloween on October 15th. No more coming up with new poetry, and I haven't continued writing any rough drafts of the novels I've been working on. I just needed to take a break. I was experiencing burnout and began to doubt whether all of this was worth it. It felt like I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. As though if I didn't write, my life would crumble. In retrospect that seems silly, but at the moment I'm the one who has to live with my life choices, so everything I do, I think carefully about. Maybe a little too carefully, but I've been so caught up in my own thoughts that I decided to take a break.

Over my break, I began to reflect on how far I've come in my writing career. I should be so proud of myself. I've published four books so far and was beginning to think it wasn’t anything special if I wasn't writing full-time. I now realize that it doesn't matter if something is not consuming my life 24/7 if I still devote time and energy to make it a reality. I often have to remind myself that everyone’s journey is different and when it’s my time, it will be my time. What’s for me will always be for me and when I think of it that way, there’s no need for me to feel overwhelmed about anything.

I guess I'm writing this to say I'm thankful for who I am today and I'm grateful for the person I was and for becoming the "me" I am today after having overcome so many hurdles. Despite the lows I've experienced, I am grateful because without them, I wouldn't know my potential. It's a matter of how far I can push myself when I can't push any further, not whether or not I can meet my goals in a timely manner. Taking these few weeks off has really been helpful for me. It’s something I already know, but it has to constantly be reiterated to me that rest is important and it’s okay to take some time.

With Thanksgiving coming up and 2022 not far away, I am reminded of how much I truly accomplished in just a year. My most productive year was in 2021. I began with Love Me, Love Me Not in February, then immediately after began Like An Eagle In A Storm, I Still Fly. This took a while because I was working full-time, but I managed to get it done in time and publish it in July. For my birthday in August, I took a small hiatus, but while celebrating, I came up with the idea to publish a Halloween poetry book, bringing Haunting Poetry For Halloween to life. In light of all of that, I shouldn't be surprised that I'm burned out. Even though I feel like it isn't necessarily a bad thing, because I never acknowledge when I need breaks, experiencing this burnout has been quite calming. It was great to get a chance to clear my mind and even work on potential collaborations with other authors. That’s still being conceptualized, but I'll let you know if it comes to fruition soon. Since I have the time to explore all types of ideas during my break, I’m excited to invite new and exciting things into the new year.