Last night, I resolved to create a new habit in order to conquer my resistance.
It seemed to me that Valentine’s Day would be a perfect time to demonstrate a little Self-love, not to mention Self-discipline.
And so this morning I sat down at my desk to write. The first step in breaking a pattern that has developed over the cold, dark winter months. One where, not feeling fully rested first thing in the morning, I would drag myself from my bed, tired and very resistant to any form of writing.
My birthday is in August and I love the sunshine. February has never been my favourite time of the year but, it is noticeably getting a little lighter in the mornings.
I still have the usual ‘obstacles’ to overcome but I decided I would attempt to minimize them. Or, if possible, always follow the mantra of doing what is important first before what is urgent.
I’m still at the ‘mercy’ of my little cat who is now an old lady. Her name is Bijou and she is French. We were both living in France when she came to me, as a very traumatised and timid two year old rescue cat.
I never wanted to be responsible for another creature but back then, what was meant to be a temporary arrangement became permanent. That was fourteen years ago. You can read her story in my book Attract Happiness the Natural Way.
Strangely, I suspect I am experiencing what many people sometimes go through with an elderly parent. I never had this kind of responsibility, as both of my parents died before it might have been necessary.
Bijou will be sixteen in June. I’m not sure about cat ‘years’ but I’m sure they can’t be much less than dog ‘years’. I suspect she must be at least 80.
I have never experienced living with an old animal – dog or cat, until now. This last year her age has begun to show. Unfortunately, she has the very occasional ‘accident’, although she does her best.
She has a fairly ‘fixed’ range of needs and conveys them in a much more vocal way than ever before. I have to admire her assertiveness.
As a Leo myself I too can be a little ‘fixed’ in my ways. Sometimes I have to recognise it’s not always for the best but, right now, I am attempting to turn a potentially negative tendency into a positive habit.
I am going back to basics and setting up a certain time every morning to sit down at my desk and write.
The trick is to repeat this pattern every single morning until the habit has become established. As my desk is actually in my bedroom and there are no other distractions, it requires only the will to walk from my bed and sit in the chair.
At the moment it doesn’t matter what I write, as there is no WIP (Work in Progress). I shall write whatever is at the top of my mind, much as I used to do years ago with Julia Cameron’s Early Morning Pages.
When I have established the habit, I shall then begin to think seriously about what I might write.
I haven’t fixed yet on a particular genre although I know it will have to be about relationships, maybe a sub-genre of Romance.
So what better day to begin I thought.
Happy Valentine’s Day to one and all – and a big Miaow from Mademoiselle Bijou.