Refueling the Muse

One thing I’ve learned is how important it is for me to keep my muse fueled up. It’s pretty easy for me to switch into workaholic mode and go go go without taking time for myself. Then again, I think that’s probably true for a lot of authors. However, that’s not sustainable.

Taking the hiatus last year and focusing on myself and my health was fundamentally important. Not only did it help change my outlook on self-care, but I feel like, for one of the first times in my life, I truly understood the importance of having balance. I also realized how much I enjoyed writing once the pressure was off.

I had a few weeks where I was busy and out-of-town where I was overcome with an overwhelming need to put words down on the page. That was a magical moment that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. Before re-evaluating things, I let myself get bogged down with the business and marketing side of writing biz that my passion for writing was smothered. However…

This year, I’m taking steps to keep that balance in mind. Here’s what I’m doing:

• – Prioritizing writing, even if it’s a few hundred words, no matter what needs to happen.
• – Meal planning to keep my body fueled with healthy food.
• – Journaling for my mental and creative health.
• – Using two planners, one for my business and the other for my personal life. The personal planner has daily things to accomplish that’s just for fun (like reading and video games). Planning fun sounds strange, but if it works!
• – Exercising to keep my body and mind healthy.
• – And finally, making time to do something fun with my hubby and family.

What are you doing to keep yourself mentally/physically/emotionally in good shape this year?

Until next week,

Sarah