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| My bike and computer are side-by-side |
After
16 months of training, it was time to rest. Going from running 5-6 times a week
to zero was not easy. I’d take off a few days, convince myself I was okay, and
go out for run. I only had to run a mile to realize I wasn’t any better. My
knee is on the mend now, but I have to be careful and not over-train. With that
in mind, I bought a recumbent bike. This torture apparatus is
supposed to work my calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes. That’s exactly what
I need. First time on the bike yesterday, I rode 11.5 miles. Not a long
distance because I just wanted to check it out. I liked it. And, it has an
added benefit—reading time. If I can read and exercise at the same time, I’m on
it!
From
2006-2010, after work and on weekends, I’d squeeze out every extra minute and pour them into my
writing. I retired in 2010 and started
writing full-time. By January 2012, my mind said, “Enough. It’s time to rest.”
Rest
is built into the way we are designed, but we resist. I’ve always been good
about getting enough sleep, but never good at resting. There was always
something that had to be done—like clean the bathroom!
I
think that’s what happened to me last year. Not only did body parts stop
supporting my knee, but all the parts that went in to my writing quit working,
too. Rest. Rest. Rest.
Rest
is a good thing. It’s an antidote to stress. It gives the heart a chance to
slow down. It reduces blood pressure. As a result, we have more energy and are
better able to solve problems.
I was afraid to rest. Afraid that if I took time off from running, I’d lose
fitness. If I took time off from writing, I’d lose my passion. I think in some
ways that's true. I have lost fitness, and I have lost that drive to write to the
exclusion of everything else. I’ll come back as a stronger runner because of
cross-training, and I'm writing in a more balanced, relaxed way,
which makes me a more insightful writer.
Rest.
It’s important. Take a few minutes and de-stress this afternoon. You’ll be glad
you did.
If
you missed my writing & marketing tweets and retweets yesterday, here they
are again:
- Notes from Tabor Lane: Writing & Marketing Tweets from January 3 http://ow.ly/gxrcr
- Writing fiction with animal protagonists: http://t.co/xrMzQ4sO RT @elizabethscraig
- 4 Tips For Understanding KDP Select: http://t.co/EsIwModG @BadRedheadMedia RT @elizabethscraig
- How to de-risk book publishing: http://t.co/jYZXGzQ9 @magnify RT @elizabethscraig "Social Media has turned book marketing upside down"
- 10 Online Marketing Trends: What will move the needle in marketing this year @iamdellgines @Bookgal http://t.co/StYr1lOG
- 9 Proven Sales Tips for Introverts http://ow.ly/gxlmv Step out of your comfort zone . . .
- KDP and PubIt and Smashwords, Oh My! by Lorca Damon http://ow.ly/gxlKU Very good post.
- 7 Key Habits of Super Networkers http://ow.ly/gxmMj "Effective networking isn't a result of luck -- it requires hard work and persistence"
- Do
Agents and Editors Expect Novelists to Blog? @JodyHedlund http://ow.ly/gxsXo The answer might surprise you.
- But can you teach Creative Writing? http://ow.ly/gxtpe Read the 11 things that can be taught.
- 3 Erroneous Uses of Scare Quotes http://ow.ly/gxFmE via Daily Writing Tips
- How Do You Know If Your Work is Any Good http://ow.ly/gxFHx via @RachelleGardner @ElizabethSCraig
- Will Your Book Ever Be Published? http://ow.ly/gxGgq via Daily Writing Tips
- How Do You Find Time to Write, Promote, Learn New Tech, and Still Have a Life? by @janefriedman http://ow.ly/gxGvv
- How to Become an Influential Writer in the Age of AuthorRank - http://t.co/QVIaXhfc RT @copyblogger RT @bookgal:
I’m
always looking for great content to share. If you have a writing and/or
marketing blog, or have a favorite that you visit often, please leave a link in
the comment section. Thanks for stopping by.
Happy
writing & running, Kathy
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