Monday, June 25, 2012

Self Nurturing and Discovery

It's June and my last blog entry was January.  This is evidence of how I let the busyness of my life get in the way of my real passions.  Writing is something I ache to do.  It's like breathing.  I think I always knew this subconsciously because when I do make time to write, my soul feels so filled, so content.  Of course, summer allows for me to satisfy this ache.

I always resolve to do too many things over the summer, though, and like most teachers, our to-do list is daunting.  Always, always, always, at the top of my list, however, is to nurture my soul, my being, and to learn more about myself.  One of the ways I do this is through online workshops or classes.  Some are free.   Some are not.  All are at your own pace and you put in what you can.  There are no grades.  Only self fulfillment.

One class/workshop or challenge, I should say, ended today.  This was a free challenge offered by Jeff Goins, a writer who is out there serving others by teaching others how to be successful writers and giving us all confidence that we are truly writers.  This challenge was Mastering the Habits of Great Writers.  I was not able to master each and every one of the 15 habits, but I did many of them.  I even began another blog that encompasses other areas of my life besides my life as an educator.  We have other lives you know! :-)  I'd love for you to visit it and be a follower!  You can see it here.  I discover new things about myself every time I write.  It is freeing.

Over the last 15 days, one of the habits I have mastered is daily writing.  Some days I have been up at 6:00 am to put in 2 hours of writing before anything else enters my brain. When I can feed my soul in this way, the rest of my day feels like it should.  I think it's because the ache, the craving, isn't gnawing at me.

Because I have a renewed commitment to continue this habit, an obvious result is going to be more blog entries.  I have so much to say that has been dorment for awhile.  A lot has gone on in the area of literacy this year, much of it challenging.  Along with new challenges come new frustrations.  Jeff Goins voices that writers need to serve others, and building communities online to share in these challenges, frustrations and successes is an avenue of which to accomplish this.

Well, I've put in my two hours now.  Deep breath.  Smile.  I am at peace.

Now... to my other place of solitude.  The garden.  There are some plants that need some nurturing, too.

What do you do to feed your soul in the summer?  Please share!

Shari :-)