So, the kids are out of school, we had houseguests for a week, the weather’s getting warmer, I took a part-time job for just a few hours a week. I have endless excuses as to why I am not writing more.

I need to write. It helps if I have an actual project, with a deadline. There’s nothing like a deadline to motivate you. But even without a deadline, my life makes more sense to me if I write things down. I can’t even really think unless I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). sometimes, work and self-care are intimately intertwined.

Today, I had lunch with a writer friend. While it feels like an indulgence to enjoy sushi, tea and “writer talk,” it’s actually very good for me to be with other writers. They remind me of my calling, my focus, my job. They remind me, ever so gently, to get my butt in the chair and just write.

So this afternoon, when I thought I didn’t have time, I realized I had about two hours. Instead of piddling around on Facebook, I made myself work on my as-yet uncontracted book. It helps to have a goal, so I set one: to write a few good chapters, to submit to a critique group my writer friend invited me to be a part of.

In that two hours, I wrote 1329 words. That’s a good day’s work for me, sometimes. So what if I found a couple of hours each day, and just wrote? What if I made time for the things that really matter to me? My excuses might evaporate.

What goals are you putting off? what do you need to do to move forward?