October 25

DISCIPLINE MONTH: DAY 25: “Do first what you don’t want to do most.” ― Clifford Cohen

Sometimes I do this, sometimes I don’t. It is not consistent, because I have very little supervision in my life today. I don’t have “bosses” who need things done by certain deadlines. I am no longer a student, who must turn in papers by a certain date or has to be in class at a specific time.

I love my life!

It is structured around what I want to do, not what I used to feel obligated or forced or coerced to do. I felt like this when I had my last 3 or 4 jobs because I loved them so much.

Today I can say that the most undesirable things I have to do are some of the tasks around my home or yard, medical procedures, or some of the appointments around those. There isn’t much I try to avoid or put off.

Lately I am not interested in doing this writing. I don’t know what that is about, but I have put it off and not done it more frequently than ever before. I think a big part of it is that I have a completely new lifestyle now than I had for the previous 5 years.

I know that is part of it, because I have a bigger home to care for and get caught up in other things in the mornings and don’t want to do this. I am so excited to be outside where I live now. In just a few minutes, I can go hiking all over the beaches and in the oak forests where I live. It is hard to stay inside, and the challenges of writing are to sit still and come to this computer.

Discipline is not with me in this vein. Everything else is good, but this piece. I hope it is going to balance out soon, because I truly long to write a couple of books and am waiting to see how that unfolds. What I will (hopefully!) achieve is a discipline and pattern for my mornings that makes it more habitual and consistent. I have been living here for 3 months now. It ain’t happening yet.

We shall see. This is my process with this writing. As much as I love it, I have to force myself to make it be the first thing I do, before I get on with my day. I will continue to work toward the goal of daily writing, not just this, but on the projects I have in mind. Let’s hope I can discipline myself with this practice. It is an important one.