Memoir Revision Diaries (Week 3)
A productive week of overcoming unplanned setbacks and reflecting on taking an intentional approach to 2024.
Ok, we are cooking with gas, for the most part. Forgive the pun, but this week has been a productive one. Did I stick to my plan of revising for at least two to three sessions a day? No, but I did do at least two sessions for most of them.
As I mentioned in last week’s post, my office is closed for the final two weeks of 2023, giving me ample time to dive into these revisions. My goal was to complete one session first thing in the morning, and then shift into another project before coming back for another round or two of revisions. And while that was what I did, the third session often slipped away from me. But I didn’t mind since I still managed to do two.
I feared this week was going to be a loss when we hit a snag at the beginning of it. The east coast was pummeled by rain, and our basement got some water in it as it does when we get a lot of rain in a short amount of time. Not as much as we’ve received in the past, but enough that cleaning it up took the better part of Monday.
Where I thought I’d be cleaning it again on Tuesday, it stopped. A true blessing since there have been times when we’ve been cleaning it out for several days.
The rest of the week was fairly calm, allowing me to do my first session in the morning, followed by another one in the afternoon. The third I had hoped to do at night, but with the few other things I was doing, by seven o’clock, I was exhausted and used the rest of the evening to relax.
Musical Interlude
This week’s song comes from the incomparable Sia, who I feel can reach deep into our souls and produce the song we need right now. Out of all of her songs, I found “Courage to Change” to be the one that best represented my memoir, as it stands as a testament to embracing change, even when it’s scary, and that there is a support system for you even if you don’t think there is.
I’m looking forward to this final week of 2023. After Christmas, I have six to seven solid days of open time to revise. I’m going to do my best to aim for three sessions in these coming days but will be happy if all I do is two or even one. One is better than none and I see progress being made, which is all that matters to me.
I want to end this week’s update on a slightly different note.
If you’re like me and you are an avid YouTube watcher, you may be seeing a lot of “Do These X Things in 2024 to Change Your Life” or “How to Crush Your Goals in 2024” or “The X Habits I’m Doing To Become a Morning Person in 2024.”
It can be tempting to watch these videos and consider following some of them. This is fine, but I want to stress that while the new year is always a good time to reflect and plan on how you want to change, understand that only YOU can determine what is needed for YOU right now.
The toxic positivity of “new year, new you” doesn’t take into account that perhaps you are happy with where you are in life. Yes, there are always things to improve, but you don’t have to wait until the new year to start.
Don’t let these YouTubers guilt-trip or frighten you into trying things you know are way out of your comfort zone. Because the truth is, no matter how much you attempt to change, some people are not morning people. Don’t force yourself into a box simply because you think it will give you that “new year, new you” vibe check.
But if you are looking to figure out how to approach the new year with a more intentional and productive mindset, my best advice would be to sit with your thoughts and reflect. Consider what you need to do to improve 2024 and search for videos related to only that. Take it from someone who has fallen down this trap before.
Also, can we start a new trend of easing into the new year rather than rushing into it with all these promises, goals, and resolutions? The new year should be a time of celebration, but I see more and more hustle and bustle approaches that will see us burning out before we even get through the first month.
What do you say? Let’s ease into 2024 and take it one day at a time.
Until next week, my friend.
💜 J