Fanning The Flames Within...

"Be ruthless about protecting writing days, i.e., do not cave in to endless requests to have 'essential' and 'long overdue' meetings on those days." J. K. Rowling

It is challenging at best to find undisturbed, productive, stimulating, serenely satisfying writing time. This is especially true for those of us who have families and other careers besides writing. In the effort to maintain work-life balance, it can become taxing to carve out time to work on our craft, producing a work of art that is a pleasurable experience to both reader and writer.

My new position is very demanding and often requires me to work from home in the evenings and weekends. While on one hand this can be rewarding in terms of accomplishing certain goals and achieving financial gains, I also find myself at times empty. Why? Because the primary relaxation tool and passion that drives me has been left unattended, while I chase a different goal that I set for myself some time ago.

Perhaps, the greatest lesson I have learned over the last month is that I must continue to pursue my primary dream. Writing. Whether it is an entire Saturday or one hour at night during the weeks, I must return to my first love.  It is the way I relax, express myself, find healing and peace, and the God-breathed dream and gift that has been placed within me. I must find time to nurture the gift, remain attentive to my readers, and allow the creativity to flow from within onto the screen in front of me.

My family has always been supportive of me finding time to write, and often encourage me to do so if I'm away from it for too long. The new beast, which is my job, is not as loving and caring as they are. Therefore, I must learn to tame the beast if by no other means than setting boundaries and disciplining myself to maintain a strict writing regimen on the weekends.

We are required to maintain a certain amount of responsibility in our lives when it comes to work. However, we were never meant to give up on our dreams, or place them on the back burner. Maybe, it is a trick of the enemy to attempt to derail us from our original purposes in life. Or, we simply are not disciplined enough to live our best lives ever. Whatever the reason, our dreams are the flames burning within. They are not given to us to extinguish them, but to fan the little flicker burning so brightly, which gives us hope, purpose, and determination.

How do you balance responsibility while pursuing your dreams?

Writers, what schedule do you implement to ensure you have time to write and time for work and life?

It's been another Motivational Monday Moment! Walk in purpose and inspired this week, and live your best life ever.

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Undeniably Chelle...
Living Life Beautifully Inspired!