Thank you for this article. I always feel like I have to be doing something. I have reached a lot of goals but there are a million more to go and I never feel like I'm doing enough or can take a break. I think this weekend, since I don't have any Monday deadlines, I will just relax. And hang out with my husband, and watch movies, and read a book. It sounds like heaven. Reading your article I got inspired...to take some time for my family and myself.
I hear ya. I was writing furiously all through 2023 -- over 100k words easy, and then I hit a wall around March of 2024. I just put everything down and played Fallout 4 and Cyberpunk 2077 again -- hundreds of hours of just forgetting about everything and exploring someone else's world. It was everything I needed to recharge. I read a few books along the way, and then in November, I turned on my computer again. And now, back to writing furiously, but this time with joy. I'm enjoying it for all the reasons I wrote about on my Substack -- relieving myself of the pressures that social media and author posts put on the average reader to put out content, monetize and go viral. I tossed all of that toxicity in the trashcan and just decided to write my stories. If no one reads them, who cares? I love them, and in the end, when it's all said and done, I want to know what happens, too. And if I don't write the stories, I'll never really know.
Man, this is so relatable. Even when we hit the milestones, there's ALWAYS uncertainty up ahead. I love certainty, but have also had to make friends with not-knowing. It's hard, but we have to do it as creatives...and humans in general, really. Thank you for sharing this! I hope 2025 brings some certainty to assuage your fears. xo
As an eldest daughter I just got a panic attack e few days ago because the whole family was reunited and nobody left me alone, in silence and peace, and it got me to the edge. I became more and more sensitive to their interactions that I started to put my guard up, which triggered them. They offered me solutions to my problems, when the only solution was peace and less interactions. Until... I had my very first panic attack beacuse nobody left me in peace.
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<3
Thank you for this article. I always feel like I have to be doing something. I have reached a lot of goals but there are a million more to go and I never feel like I'm doing enough or can take a break. I think this weekend, since I don't have any Monday deadlines, I will just relax. And hang out with my husband, and watch movies, and read a book. It sounds like heaven. Reading your article I got inspired...to take some time for my family and myself.
I hope you found your time refreshing, Sara! Obviously totally relate to what you are saying but wow breaks are always needed!
I hear ya. I was writing furiously all through 2023 -- over 100k words easy, and then I hit a wall around March of 2024. I just put everything down and played Fallout 4 and Cyberpunk 2077 again -- hundreds of hours of just forgetting about everything and exploring someone else's world. It was everything I needed to recharge. I read a few books along the way, and then in November, I turned on my computer again. And now, back to writing furiously, but this time with joy. I'm enjoying it for all the reasons I wrote about on my Substack -- relieving myself of the pressures that social media and author posts put on the average reader to put out content, monetize and go viral. I tossed all of that toxicity in the trashcan and just decided to write my stories. If no one reads them, who cares? I love them, and in the end, when it's all said and done, I want to know what happens, too. And if I don't write the stories, I'll never really know.
Yes, yes. Write for you :)
This was really great, Kailey!
Thank you, Caitlin :)
Man, this is so relatable. Even when we hit the milestones, there's ALWAYS uncertainty up ahead. I love certainty, but have also had to make friends with not-knowing. It's hard, but we have to do it as creatives...and humans in general, really. Thank you for sharing this! I hope 2025 brings some certainty to assuage your fears. xo
🙏🙏🙏
“Uncertainty isn’t the enemy. It’s the terrain.” Yes, absolutely. 💯
Love the mindset. Love the coaching offerings at the bottom. Love the Brittany cameo <3
Always love a Brittany cameo
This speaks! Thank you!
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Such a great and vulnerable "what the fuck is this creative life" P.O.V. Thank you Kailey, as always, for sharing you with the rest of us. <3
Thank you, Lauren 💕✨
God, as a life-long writer, this post is insanely relatable. I’m learning to lean into the uncertainty. C’est la vie.
But truly… How lucky are we to have a craft that allows us to process the world and our connection to it? :) Happy New Year!
I know, we are so fortunate! ✨ so glad you found this relatable :)
Can relate. I have writing projects that align with my lifestyle and topics I care about, but I still feel a bit scattered.
"Am I putting too much effort here when I should delve into this?"
"What do I love writing about the most? What is a feasible way I can explore this topic more and write about it, especially in a hybrid memoir sense?"
I have good intentions this weekend that will hopefully not include a mountain of useless post-its and color-coding.
As an eldest daughter I just got a panic attack e few days ago because the whole family was reunited and nobody left me alone, in silence and peace, and it got me to the edge. I became more and more sensitive to their interactions that I started to put my guard up, which triggered them. They offered me solutions to my problems, when the only solution was peace and less interactions. Until... I had my very first panic attack beacuse nobody left me in peace.
I'm so sorry that happened! I'm hope you were able to enjoy some peace soon after!