Reclaiming the title

It’s been six months since I last blogged. Surely I sit on the precipice of being a non-blogger. Perhaps I’ve already tipped over the edge. But if the latter is true, I am still hanging on by my fingertips, madly trying to swing my legs back up to retain the title.

And ultimately, it’s my title to reclaim – by blogging. I struggle with the discipline of a blog (perhaps it’s more accurate to say I struggle with the discipline of life). I see others’ blogs and note that they’re pretty religious about it – or at least committed to breathing life into it regularly (I am in the midst of doing CPR compressions to my blog as I type). Their followers check back frequently to read the latest happenings and insights, confident that there will be some.

My challenge (I’m throwing down the proverbial gauntlet at my feet) is to just do it. Some people are exceptionally skilled at setting a goal and acting on it – no procrastination, no excuses – they just move forward. Those people annoy me. And yet, I admire their drive, their stick-to-it-iveness.

For many of us, goals are a matter of five steps forward, four steps back (on a good day). In January, the smell of resolutions wafts in the winter air (and depending on which way the wind is blowing, the scent can be sweet or rank). We’ve got high hopes – of eating nothing but organic vegetables and brown rice, of never losing control of our emotions, of shedding three sizes or writing an award-winning book. Maybe we’ll do those things, maybe we won’t, but the question is: Are we setting ourselves up for success? My friend Janet Murphy (www.ordinarymom.ca) has inspired me by setting mini-resolutions for herself – small, achievable changes that will serve her and her family.

When I think about my own mini-resolutions, I know that one of them is to write – not a prescribed amount or according to a rigid schedule and not because I “should,” but because in my heart, I am a writer. Blogging is one outlet for my writing – and one I enjoy. Taking the time to write - whether through my blog or another vehicle - is a gift to myself, and you can never have too many of those.

To you, my readers, I can’t make any promises on the frequency of my posts, but I can say this: I’ve climbed my way back from the edge, and I like the view from here.