I always look forward to Fridays because it means a rest is coming. A time to do something other than sit at the keyboard and look at my screen. For me, Friday evenings usher in a moment to focus on refreshing myself mentally, physically, and creatively.
I wasn’t as productive from a creative standpoint this week as I was last week, but I can’t say that I’m disappointed in the progress either. Progress is still progress, whether we gain an inch or a mile.
We’re approaching the end of Week 3 of NaNoWriMo, and this is the point where we have to remember to pace ourselves because we’re in a long-distance race rather than a 50-yard dash. With all the personal energy that goes into writing, I know I’m not alone in feeling a bit fatigued right now.
As someone who “thinks with her fingers,” not always having the words to express myself can sometimes feel more like a travesty than a temporary setback. Most of the time I end up sitting down with a puzzle until I work things out, but lately I’ve been considering other artistic pursuits that I used to enjoy but haven’t engaged in for a while.
There’s my flute, which is desperate need of servicing before I subject my neighbors to attempts to play after more than 10 years. There’s the baby blanket that I started crocheting and is now sitting beside my couch unfinished. There’s baking, but there’s just me to eat it and as much as enjoy cooking and baking, it’s more fun when doing it with and for others.
Lately I’ve been thinking about doing more with paint and colors.
Not to make public, but for myself. Something that I can give myself permission to do badly. Because writing, for as much as I enjoy it, is something that I do with others in mind, not just myself. And I’m beginning to realize that I need something that is just my own and that I can use to express myself when words just won’t do.
What about you? What hobbies do you enjoy engaging in for your own personal pleasure? How do they help re-energize you when you start feeling the fatigue that comes with trying to make a looming deadline?
—Jen