I have a bit of a ritual. On my way to work, I stop at the Tim Hortons across from where I work. It’s in an industrial area, so there really isn’t much around. But I’m a regular now, and the staff ‘know’ me and my mobile order. And as I returned to work after a couple of days off, I picked up my coffee and spent my usual fifteen minutes writing. It was clear, as I wrote and counted down the minutes to when I’d have to cross the street and enter that building, how essential it is to own your life. [Read more…] about Own Your Life
writing off the grid
You Always Have a Choice
How we spend our time is always up to us. We can work on our book or binge-watch Netflix. We can go to the gym or we can hit the snooze button. Instead of eating a salad, we may reach for that bag of potato chips. You always have a choice, and although I’ve always known that, it’s become more clear as I embrace writing off the grid. [Read more…] about You Always Have a Choice
Fear of Missing Out
When I decided to, once again, step back from social media, something that almost stopped me was the fear of missing out (FOMO). I had spent several weeks working on my social media content, creating and post more videos and slowly (at a snail’s pace) watching engagement climb. Yes, I made progress but I wasn’t truly committed.
Still, that didn’t stop me from reaching for my phone to check for views, likes, and comments. And after months of working hard to reduce my screen time, I watched it soar—and struggled to rein it in. That was when I knew I had to get past this, often perceived, fear of missing out. [Read more…] about Fear of Missing Out
Patience as Virtue
Patience is a virtue. Growing up, that was something I heard often. And although I understood what it meant, it wasn’t something that came easy to me. I couldn’t wait for the school year to end to enjoy the freedom that the summer break afforded. I couldn’t wait to escape my awkward adolescence and become a grown-up. And I definitely couldn’t wait for the day when I would be able to leave my parents’ home for a place of my own. I was always in a rush to move to the next stage, always running ahead to an uncertain and unforeseeable future.
Learning to Go Slow
As I focused more on my writing, and specifically as I transitioned from short-form to long-form fiction, I struggled again with patience. I wanted to write the first drafts quickly so that I could get to my favourite phase: the rewrite. Then I wanted to speed through the rewrite(s) so I could send the manuscript off for editing. And while the manuscript was with my editor, I’d start on another project, still anxious and thinking about what my editor thought. Because I wanted to move the project to the next stage. [Read more…] about Patience as Virtue
The Hardest Part of Change
In the few short days that I have been off social media, I have already noticed a shift. I don’t feel overwhelmed. Because I’m no longer trying to do things that aren’t important to me. I’m not rushing in the morning to record, edit, or post videos for social media—or worrying about their possible virality. I’m also not scrambling to squeeze in some writing time, or wondering if I can get out for a run or to the gym. Instead, I am focused on doing the things that matter. But I need to share with you the hardest part of change… [Read more…] about The Hardest Part of Change