“I’m Too Busy To Write.”

There you go, I said the “B” word.  Now, don’t tell me you have never said that to yourself because I’m pretty positive that it has already at least crossed your mind, and if somehow it hasn’t, it’s quite inevitable to occur at some point in your writerly life.

Since starting a new full-time job almost two months ago along with maintaining full-time status as a grad student, I have become the queen of excuses.  Even when I try to sort out my priorities and balance life with school, work, and just sitting on the couch scrolling through Instagram, there are nights where I fall asleep knowing I am doing something wrong.  I’ve stopped writing.

I am comforted by the fact that in these last two months where I have done considerably less of my own writing, I haven’t stopped thinking about it.  I think of ideas, get inspired, and even plan out intriguing plots in my head.  The failure of my execution is disappointing but admitting to this has fired up an emotion and drive to fix it.  Now is my time to just commit and write.

This type of thing happens a lot in life, though.  “I’m too busy to exercise”, “I’m too busy to call Grandma”, “I’m sorry I haven’t replied to your text in a month—I’ve just been so busy!”  What troubles me is how many of us will look back on our lives and think about how “busy” we were and how we were too “busy” to do what really mattered.  Taking ten minutes out of your day to catch up with your grandmother, going to dinner with a friend, and especially allowing yourself daily time to do something that makes you happy.  If I am so fortunate to grow old and have that opportunity to reflect on my life, I don’t want to have regrets.  I don’t want to think I worked too much or didn’t spend enough time with friends or obsessed too much about what I ate.  We just can’t be “too busy” and miss out on what will truly matter in the end.

Make commitments.  Have aspirations.  Create goals.  Do what you truly want to do with your life.  Be aware of life’s little hints and reminders that you can do whatever you want, as long as you work hard and be persistent.  I am learning so much now about who I could become and what opportunities are out there.  Let’s grow together and start TODAY.  Today, I will start to write more.  What will you do?