Dear Fellow Creators,
In January, I wrote about feeling stuck creatively. It wasn't only my creativity that was stuck, though-- everything was a bit joyless. This is a mood that strikes me often in mid-winter, but this year it set up camp for awhile. Thank you to those of you who responded with words of encouragement and “me, too” sympathies.
Happily, I've had a better February thus far. I've been keeping up with my good habits, writing as often as I can, and reading voraciously. I also
started blogging again! But the real secret to a better February was this:
I adjusted my expectations.
Winter in New York is cold, dark, and long. The break between the busy fall and hectic spring is necessary-- but it can also be extremely dull. For someone with a restless nature, it sometimes feels torturous to put on the same coat, go to the same cold (or overheated, depending on the day) school buildings, teach kids who are also feeling restless, and come home to the same chores. Winter is monotonous.
Some winters I make it a point to schedule things that I enjoy, like a concert or a Broadway show or a day-long visit with my best friend. This year, I wasn't prepared, mostly because I was preoccupied with getting settled into our new house. As of this writing, I still don't have anything planned that I'm particularly looking forward to until spring break.
So why is February feeling better, when I haven't made any changes?
I'm embracing the dullness.
Instead of resenting the routine, I'm reveling in it. I'm taking comfort in knowing how each day will go.
Instead of trying to fill my calendar with plans, I'm filling my Kindle with books.
In the repetition, I'm finding a new rhythm.
Most importantly, I'm telling myself that it's okay to slow down. In January, I tried to keep up a hectic pace because I'd gone into the month with big ambitions-- and then got knocked down by the cold and lack of daylight.
(The timing of New Year's is misplaced, if you ask me! I've decided that from now on I will honor September 1 as my goal-setting New Year, and March 1 as my reflection/resetting New Year. I'll write a blog post about this soon.)
First name / Fellow Creator, in what areas of your life do you need to re-set expectations in order to reclaim joy?
