How many promises have you made to yourself? Tomorrow I’ll go to the gym. Tomorrow I’ll start writing the business plan. Yes, tomorrow I’ll start eating better. It’s that tomorrow syndrome that enables us to put off our dreams and watch others succeed. I know. I’ve been there. “No more sugary treats,” I tell myself, “once I finish this package of Twizzlers.” Until I’m in the grocery store and Twizzlers are on sale again. When you’re in a battle against who you are and who you want to be, ask yourself: Are you tired yet? [Read more…] about Are You Tired Yet?
Writing Off the Grid
Stop Trying to Fix Yourself
I was looking forward to the Family Day long weekend in February. My partner was heading out to spend time with his family, and I was excited about a couple of days alone to rest. But instead of enjoying a couple of truly restful days, I ended up sick with the stomach flu. And as I lay prostrate—sometimes on the sofa, other times on the bathroom floor thinking that this is the ‘end’—I couldn’t help but think about life. Specifically, I thought about how, for months on end, I’d tried unsuccessfully to change my life. It made me ask myself, Why are you trying to constantly fix yourself? [Read more…] about Stop Trying to Fix Yourself
Acquiesce
It’s rare for me to get sick, or at least sick enough to call in to work to say I’m staying home. The last time it happened was during the pandemic when COVID finally caught up to me. And I can ‘easily’ deal with a head cold, but when I recently contracted viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu), I got knocked down for the count. Despite what I thought I knew, despite what I expected of myself, I had to acquiesce to it. [Read more…] about Acquiesce
Move Past the Obstacle
The past ten months have taught me a powerful lesson: change is hard. Even if you committed to doing what was necessary—what you knew would make a difference—a bad decision can change everything. It sends you back to your comfort zone, back to the bad habits that keep you stuck. And it’s not, then, that change is hard, but that it also feels impossible. Until you realize that the obstacle is the way.1 [Read more…] about Move Past the Obstacle
- Holiday, R. (2014, 2024). The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph, Portfolio/Penguin. [↩]
The Focus Conundrum
I thrive on routine. A routine grounds me and creates the momentum that keeps me focused on my goals. Over the past few years, though, my routine has been disrupted—completely upended and turned in on itself. For many years, I woke up around 3:00 am to write and run. It was the one time of day, in that stillness, where I felt most at peace. I could hear myself think and focus for an extended period. Now, staying focused is a daily battle that I don’t always win. [Read more…] about The Focus Conundrum