Want Different – Choose Different

It is a choice. This path I am journeying down is a path I have chosen. Sometimes it is a deliberate, BIG choice. More often, it is the minuscule, barely noticed choices that add up for the direction. The choices are still mine. If I want to change directions, I have to choose different.

I invested several weekends “relaxing” – meaning I have accomplished little to nothing of substance. I came out on the other end of the weekend no closer to where I wanted to go. Some weekends I came out a few steps further behind.

It had to change. That meant I had to change.

I determined to make better investments. I committed to the #WriteTalk podcast and Twitter chat on Saturday mornings. All of the investments are completed by 10 in the morning. I have accomplished something.

Even with the morning investment, some weekends left me with little to show. It became easy to settle on the “already done” and choose not to do any more. I was letting the choice to do nothing drive the cart, and it was NOT working the way I wanted.

I can wish it would work. I could plan for things to work. I could even picture in my head the way things will work. As long as I continue to do what I have been doing then I will land where I have been landing.

Change is required for change.

I took a different approach on the rest of the day. I found a podcast to listen to after a short break from the #WriteTalk investment. I turned on the Author Hangout Podcast and listened to Angus Nelson discuss his journey. It was about writing, but it offered so much more than tips for building writing success.

“I have to lean into fear to push through it.”

“A parked car can’t change directions.”

These two statements provided a wealth of inspiration for me. It was still up to me to put that inspiration to work. Listening and learning without action would leave me back to that place where I come out at the end of the weekend with nothing to show for it.

I leaned on the shoulders of my friends in the 10 Minute Novelists Facebook group. Our fearless leader, Katharine Grubb, had thrown down the 5000/5K challenge. The goal was to write 5000 words and walk a 5 K all in a day. I dove into the challenge with gusto, determined to break the habit of “relaxing” on my weekend.

I stumbled. I chased a few squirrels. Circumstances required adjustment. It turns out that when I make the choice to do something and I take action in that direction – it gets done despite the challenges that come your way.

I know that I will not always be able to rely on challenges to get me going. I understand that I will not always be able to count on the shoulders of others to lift me up and get me there. I accept that what you offer is not the answer to what I do. I also know that investing in listening to the inspiration of Angus Nelson helped me put it to work and having the support/accountability of the 10 Minute Novelists gave me the greatest results for my weekend.

It is simple – it is just not always natural. If I want different in my life then I have to make the choice for different actions. It is up to me.

Be blessed,