You may have noticed I stopped blogging. And it’s not because I’m busy; I actually have more free time than ever thanks to a wonderful new job. So here’s what happened.
I Needed to Spend the Summer Remembering How to Love Life Again
I had a tough winter (and really, a pretty grueling five and a half years), so when my schedule suddenly opened up like a lovely orchid, I made it a priority to start enjoying life again.
I went tubing down Iowa’s rivers, visited friends in other cities, spent an entire week celebrating my best friend’s wedding, did a lot of hiking, watched a lot of movies, took a lot of naps, went on countless lunch dates, hosted out-of-town visitors, attended a family reunion, and spent a long weekend kayaking with friends we hadn’t seen in far too long.
I’m happy to report that it worked; I feel more refreshed and alive than I have in years.
I’m Re-Thinking What I’m Comfortable Sharing on the Internet
As an aspiring author, I’m told to build my platform, increase my online presence, and write from a place of vulnerability.
But as a therapist, I’m taught to avoid self-disclosure so that I don’t muddy my therapeutic relationships or put my safety at risk.
I’m very aware that clients can and do find my blog. That means I need to approach this with a greater level of thoughtfulness than if I were in any other profession, especially now that I’m entering a more mature phase of my career where I suddenly feel I have much more to lose.
Lately, it has felt necessary to hit the pause button as I sort out how to best balance the conflicting demands of these two worlds.
I’ve Been Investing all my Creative Energy into Writing a New Book
This is the biggest reason blogging has taken a back seat. I write for at least two hours a day now, which is glorious, but I’ve never been good at balancing other writing projects when I’m deep in book mode. (I’m not sharing details yet, but the new book is a quirky, fictional love story and I’m halfway through the first draft.)
Unfortunately, my updates here will probably continue to be pretty sporadic over the next several months. In the meantime, I hope you have a fabulous fall and take the time to embrace the pursuits that feed your soul.
That’s what happened, and I’m sticking to it.
