Have you ever thrown your “To Do” list away?  Ever hidden it from yourself then decided to take a walk in the woods instead? Ever feel like tossing away your goals for a while, along with social media “shoulds,” so you can do whatever your whims present on any given day?

Okay, I admit it. I’ve been playing hooky from writing, avoiding  my keyboard and my novel manuscript for several weeks. The weather’s been gorgeous here during our southern California summer and I’ve been literally craving other activities besides writing. So I said to myself, “Why not?”

Nonetheless, at the start of each week, the negative voices in my head started condemning my lax ways. But finally last week a very positive “AhHa” moment won out. I realized I’d now shifted into a new mode of being this summer. One much more devoid of “have to’s.” This new path has been a little scary, I’ll admit, and it’s created an edge in me along with some fantastic moments of elation. The edge? Well, in the back of my mind I still want to finish my second novel even though I’ve placed it temporarily on hold. Despite that though, I’ve continued to put planning and “shoulds” aside and decided each day to “see what shows up.”

Guess what? In the last six weeks I didn’t die of boredom or feel frantic about what to do next. I simply started moving toward activities I never seem to have time for, things I’ve wanted to do but really didn’t even know it.

As you can see, I resurrected an old hobby, photography, during my morning walks. It’s enhanced my exercise so much and nourishes my soul at the same time! I have no idea where this will lead, but now I have a load of wonderful images to share with others. Who knows? Maybe I’ll link them with many of my poems and. . .Voila! It might become another book! Continue reading →