Starting Over...

I've been writing a novel...
There, I said it.
I've started it over 3 times...
No, as of this week, 4.
Here's why:
1.  Perfectionism
2.  Discontentment
3.  Lots of prayer
4.  The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
Every time I start over - mind you, it's the same exact story, just tweaked.
I think "This is it!  I've got it this time!"
And I do until I decide I don't.
So THIS time, I've really got it.
I KNOW it this time!
I understand that this is typical writer behavior.
My situation is not unique...
which is encouraging.
I want to tell a story that will resonate...
That has a message...
That brings joy...
Mostly, though, I want to write the story I'm meant to write.
How vague is that?
Dang vague.
So here I go again...5,000 words in to version #4.
How many versions will there ultimately be?
In what year will I finally finish this work of my heart?
I don't know.
If I have my way, before I turn 50.
Wait.  That's just crazy.
But don't writers have to be a little crazy?
Excuse me, I need to get busy...

PS - If you're a writer-type, I highly recommend The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman...even though it caused me a lot of extra work!

Yoga with Adriene and Heather...

I recently met Adriene...
She has never met me, however.
We do yoga together.
Well, I do yoga with her.
She does yoga with EVERYONE!
I used to run...
I hope to run again, but I can't at the moment.
I am some sort of injured...
Tight, annoyed hip flexors and hamstrings will not...will NOT relax.
Could be the amount of sitting on my bum I've been doing...writing...
But I digress.
I've been doing less sitting lately and more moving and I think we're making some headway
Which brings me back to yoga with Adriene.
I never really considered yoga.
I am the world's most inflexible person.
(No, you're not, I am.)
Touch my toes?  Nope.
So when I was doing physical therapy (yes, it's that bad),
The PT gal pointed out that what she was teaching me was very yoga-ish.
Enter Adriene...
I did the 20-minute beginner video first.
It was sort of fun.
And stretchy.
It felt good to stretch like that.
And she's fun to listen to as I'm yoga-ing.
There's a lingo I don't know.
"Back to center"
"Your yoga practice"
"Create space in the body"
"Checking in with _____ (the neck, the feet, the wrists, the breath, the body)"
"Come into the moment with integrity, whatever that means to you"
"Anjali Mudra"
So many other Sanskrit terms that I cannot remember, nor pronounce...yet.
But I like it...I do.
I'm learning to relax my body and mind...
I use the time to pray a little...when I'm not checking my computer screen to make sure I'm doing it right.
I think it's getting easier.
I'm not tipping over as much.
That's good, right?
And I think I'm getting a little bit stronger.
Maybe working my way back to a bit of jogging...maybe by summer.
Fingers crossed...
Nice long breath in,
Nice long juicy exhale out...
Namaste.