I really don’t like to keep mentioning my diabetes on this blog. When I first found out I had it, I was determined not to make a big deal out of it. But it keeps coming up, and I realized it’s because it was, and still is, a huge part of my life. The only reason I need to mention it today is that it has impacted my writing.
When my blood sugar was high, I felt SO bad. I know I’ve said that before, but if you’ve never experienced it, it’s hard for me to get you to understand HOW bad I felt. So what happened was, I just got out of the habit of writing. I was to the point where I wasn’t writing at all. I wasn’t playing computer games, either. I was lying on the couch watching TV. At work, it was all I could do to get up out of my chair some days just to go to the bathroom or go get coffee. So now, I’m feeling SO much better. It’s amazing the difference a change in blood sugar makes. But here’s the thing. I got into a HABIT of not writing. And I’m having such a hard time breaking this habit. I’m doing more housework, I’m enjoying time with my family, I don’t leave “get-togethers” early (because I felt like crap)…but I’m still slacking in my writing.
I think part of my problem is that I’ve stopped thinking of writing as a job. I used to. When I was churning words out, I thought of it as my part-time job and something that I just DO. When I got out of the habit of writing, I started thinking of it differently, so I don’t have my mind back in the right place yet. Lagging book sales have also discouraged me a bit. There’s so much more competition now. I think if I start making myself believe again that this is my job, I’ll have more self-control about getting it done. If I can get my health habits under control, which I have, I can get writing back on track, too. It’s all about changing bad habits into good habits.
I only wrote one day last week.
lauralynnelliott.com 
I know exactly what you mean–it comes to something when your own body gangs up on you for no good reason!
Start small. A page a day, until writing becomes a habit again, as natural as breathing. Before you know it, you’ll be back in business. Good luck!
You know, Cate, I didn’t even think about starting small and building up. Great idea!
Well get to writing! I wanna read that book you are working on now. 🙂 It sounds awesome and you need to get going. 🙂 Besides Spring will be here before you know it and you know how your schedule gets in the Springtime!
You’ll get back on track though. I have faith in you! ❤
Yes, Ma’am. I’ll get right on it. Lol.
Lauralynn…I’m giving you so many hugs! I have erratic blood sugar – I know how hard it is to make yourself go in spite of your body fighting with you. I have to set exact times to do things to trick myself into thinking of it as a task that has to be done before I can succumb to how I feel. I’m glad you’re feeling better, and yay for one day! It’s better than none, and I know you’ll get there.
Thanks for the hugs! I finally have my blood sugar under control with one dose of insulin a day. I’m really hoping to some day get off of it.
And, yeah, one day IS better than none.
I hear you, while I was sick all I did was lie about for that week. Then I got better but I’m still lying about. Only 1 workout in the last two weeks. I know I just need to get up and do it, but it’s soooooo hard to do it lately. No excuses tomorrow.
More importantly, you’re feeling better and that’s what’s important. Everything thing else will follow. Once your current work catches your fancy and won’t let you rest.
It’s so hard sometimes to get back on track after you’ve been sick. I do agree that it will come easier when I’m really getting into my WIP. I always have a little trouble in the first few chapters.
How about reading some of your best reviews? Remind yourself of the first great review you read of your first ever book. I’ve just experienced this feeling and it makes me want to get the next one out, pronto!
BTW – I have pre-diabetes (not as crud as actual diabetes, but as my father had it and I have hyperthyroidism and chronic anemia, it’s likely I’ll develop full blown diabetes at some point) so I know how truly crappy one can feel. Before I was diagnosed with anything, I wanted nothing other than to sleep. I felt so ill after eating I crawled into the fetal position and sweated into the sofa. Hubs panicked while my head buzzed.
But you’ve got a handle on it now, and you will get back into writing. I’m sure of it. Baby-steps! No rush. Regarding the sales, I really wouldn’t worry about that. If writers all wrote for money, there would be a lot less competition (hurrah!) but a lot less fantastic fiction. X
You know, that’s not a bad idea about reading some of my good reviews. If I can make myself NOT read the bad ones again. LOL. It amazes me how readers are so different in their tastes and the same book can get 5 stars and 1 star.
I was thinking you were pre-diabetic from some of the stuff I’ve read on your blog. It doesn’t mean you HAVE to develop full-blown diabetes if you take good care of yourself, does it?. I wish I could go back and change things. Does hyperthyroidism and Chronic anemia make you more likely to develop diabetes or other illnesses? Bodies are such complex things! I hope you keep a handle on your health issues, and I’m going to try to do the same.
Baby steps is probably what I need to do. I just want to be back writing like crazy like i used to. Hopefully, I can get back to that. I do write for money, but not JUST money. It’s like having the perfect job making money at what you love to do. But I’m not making nearly as much as I was as more and more people decide to self-publish. I don’t begrudge them that right, though. Even though it makes more competition for those of us that have been doing it for awhile, each person has every right to pursue their dreams. We just need more readers! 🙂
Habits are easy to break unfortunately, but you seem determined and that is half the battle! Just start small, a little bit here and there, and soon you’ll be in the swing of things! Good luck!
Bad habits are REALLY hard to break. Everyone seems to agree that starting small would be best to get back into the swing of things. I just feel like I need to be churning out 5,000 words a week like I was before. So maybe I’ll start by making myself write for 15 minutes instead of an hour and see if that seems less overwhelming…at least until I get back into the groove.
😦 Awww… don’t feel so down! One day is still a DAY, after all. There were times last year when I was lucky to get one day in 2 weeks. You’ll find your pace again, never fear. It also helps to have a project you LOVE writing on. Maybe think about taking a break from one story and use another to get those juices flowing. I think Kait mentioned it in one of her blog entries recently.
Thanks, Kate! I do want to find my pace again. Right now I’m sitting here contemplating getting up and taking my laptop to my office where there’s quiet. I’ve actually already switched stories. LOL. Time to get to work!
I know what you mean. Getting back into the habit of writing when you haven’t done any for a while is so hard. I like the small steps approach. I think it’s easier if you know you don’t have as much to do. (This is why I do smaller loads of laundry. hehe)
Flylady says to take baby steps. Even in house cleaning. Do things in small increments. I know I’ll get back into the swing of writing. A little at a time. 🙂