Writing and Burn OUT

I've said this to quite a number of people, but I've had it shoved into my face that I need to practice what I preach...namely take breaks.

I've been working so hard on doing the edits that I burned out. Kaputz. I've warned my CP partner, other twitter friends, anyone who says they're having a hard time. I say to these wonderful people, maybe you need a REAL break.

What do I mean by that? I don't mean a break networking, or socializing for your book or writing your blog, or doing housework (unless that unlikely chore will help bring your stress level down), or doing your taxes. I mean a BREAK.

do something that you enjoy. Talk to friends on twitter cuz you can. Play hearts online. Go see a family member. Do a hobby. Go Exercise. I'm not the only writer who knows you need to exercise, but I think we forget! Something I was doing and fell out of the habit was stopping writing every half hour to hour, depending on the flow, and getting up and cleaning. I picked up stuff the children had made a mess of, started a load of laundry, watered plants, etc. It's been harder since homeschooling since I'm already stopping every five minutes to either help them or referee or make them work.

After my daughter was hospitalized, I completely fell out of the habit. I was just too exhausted. Plus, I wasn't doing much else. I wrote, I edited, I cleaned, I played with the kids a little and I stressed. I didn't take time for me.

I opened an Etsy shop to help bring money in cuz things are so tight. This has forced me to do a little bit of artistic things, but not a lot. Photoshopping some of my photos has helped, then I started making bookmarks. I had to design them. Find the paper, find stickers/punches, make tassels, decide on beads all kinds of things. I even have done a little drawing on a couple. All of the sudden I remembered.

"Oh yeah, take a break, stupid!" I'm creative in a lot of ways. I paint, I draw (not my strong suite!), I scrapbook, I sew, I crochet, I crossstitch. Now you will notice something there--a lot of I's. They were left there on purpose. Remember to take care of you--not just everyone else. I can do a lot, but I wasn't doing anything for "I" that relieved my stress.

Plus, something I've learned over the last year or so is that if I exclusively work on one artistic skill to the exclusion of all others for too long, I will lose it. Temporarily to be sure. But my mind will shut down.

For instance: I've done a LOT of plays. I've been in them, helped build sets, and I've made so many costumes that I get woozy thinking about it. When it gets time for dress rehearsal, I'm usually trying to frantically finish them up since I usually don't have enough time from purchasing of material until day it starts. Anyway, if I spend weeks only sewing in between doing quickie no brainer meals, and do little to no writing, I will start making mistakes in my sewing, get headaches and be unable to do easy problem solve things. I apparently need to do the variety of projects to feed all parts of my brain!

Another instance: Recently, between daughter's illness, homeschooling, children's regression issues, potty training and being unable to find my meds, writing has been a grab and go. I've been printing and laminating for etsy but not doing a whole lot on the creative end until recently. All of the writing I've been doing plus the following edits, I've not left time to do any other projects. And my brain shut down.

So, I'm fixing that. I'm getting my exercise cleaning house and doing yard work. Taking my damned meds (I take thyroid meds. I had both thyroids removed from cancer so have to have them to function. Believe me when I say not finding my meds even for a day can be a major focusing issue!) and making time to do other things.

I made more bookmarks, crocheted a couple of washcloths, have more to make, and I'm going to work on more writing skills. All of these things so I can continue to write and do the work.

Writing is a job. Like any job, you need to take breaks from it. 15 min. Eat. Stretch, do more than one aspect, like the social networking, blogging, as well as the editing and writing. And most importantly. Don't forget to take whole days off. Days where your mind and body can rest.

Now don't let those days turn into weeks (unless it's a planned vacation LOL) and don't be lazy. Do your goals and what you want. You want to write five days a week, then do it. It's your goals and your dreams, just be sure that you take care of yourself. You'll be surprised at how rejuvenating even getting out to pull some weeds and plant some tomatoes can be. :D

PIns & Needles

I'm a writer, but I'm also an artist/crafter. I do many things, and yes, when I choose to, I do them well. Until recently, I thought that was normal. I mean, doesn't everyone decide they want to tat, go pick up the tools and learn to tat while eating their lunch at Taco Bell? That's pretty much what I did, although I lost the tool right away (it's so danged small!)and will now have to relearn as I didn't practice :(

I crochet, I hate knitting, but I'm capable of it. I had been taught the basics 20 yrs ago and never picked it up again until my recent appearance in Antigone. I was the queen. Now, if you haven't read the play, you might think that's exciting right? Well, it's not. The queen only shows up in the beginning, with no lines (a first for me LOL) and knits. So I got the little pack that teaches knitting and learned to knit, and I had to do it without my glasses as well.

Results? I'll probably try to keep up the skill for making socks, but that's about it. I still prefer crochet! Although, I did find that the continental version wasn't as frustrating for me so that's the route I'll keep I think.

I can make friendly plastic jewelry. It's not so popular anymore, but it was a lot of fun. It's a rubbery plastic that changes color a bit as it is heated and maneuvered. you learn how to cut the pieces the right size, etc. It's one of those skills that is getting lost in today's society.

I can cross stitch, although it is time consuming and exacting. I have made two heirloom Christmas stockings to date. Let me tell you, they are intricate and beautiful. Most people who meet me don't think I have the patience nor the skill to do something like that, but I do. It's the time that kills me :P

I like to quilt, although there are parts of it I still need to learn for doing the top stitching. I need a better machine for it, is the first problem. Anyway, I definitely don't get enough time for this with my young kids. I have to focus when piecing or I cut all the wrong sizes/shapes and I am too poor to be running about spending money on more fabric simply because I mess up.

And speaking of Fabric, (really the capitalized "fabric" is how I think of fabric) I sew costumes. I am involved in so many plays through community theatre that I have taught myself how to make costumes. I have had pointers from friends along the way, but mostly it has been trial and error for me.

Like Fabric, I'm also into paper. I taught myself to scrapbook, with friends of course, so I could do my wedding album. My wedding album came out beautifully and I have a whole array of paper and tools to play with. I combined it with my stamping (as many people have) and have enjoyed myself immensely.

Then, if I haven't missed any, there is my art. I came into it late in the game and I have found the thing that makes me happiest. Painting, oil paints in particular, help to soothe my mind and release my stress. I've changed my major from political science to art because of a chance 2 credit oil pastel class I happened to take. (They only offered it 1 or 2 quarters at the community college). It's impacted my life unbelievably. I can paint in almost any style I choose to. I am best at impressionism but I tend to throw in how I feel about my subject which gives it an expressionist edge.

This lead to confidence. Confidence that I can finish hard things and learn more. Which lead to me being comfortable picking up my writing again when I lost my job. I feel the need to create in all the ways set forth here. When a particular 'mood' strikes me it is best if I follow that lead. If I try to force something else out, I usually end up with something ugh. If I don't listen to my mood or can't because of life, then I get frustrated and my stress level increases ten fold.

I've decided to make writing a career, which means I have to do it almost everyday. I have to keep learning and growing. It's more than a whim or a mood. There are days when I wish I could do all of the things I love. However, for me, if I could write and paint everyday I would get my creative edge appeased as well as the right brain satisfied.

There is so much that goes into writing that isn't about the creative process. More so than most people think. The same is true for all of the arts I listed. Most of the ones listed takes math, precision, planning and goals. You may be an artist and very good at any of the hundreds of crafts available to you, but remember, there is more to the craft, and therefore more to you, than creative moodiness :D

PS I can't wait to get back to Washington and have all my stuff back! The only thing I brought were my paints. I had shelves and shelves of paper crafting stuff and yarn and it had to be put in storage :( Happy days for me when I get back. It will be like the best Christmas ever when I get to see my things again!!