![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.writingwhiledistracted.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/DSC_0141-2.jpg\")
<\/a>If you follow my blog, you know that this spring was a difficult one. We lost my brother-in-law to depression in March. To say we’ve been on a spinning wheel of emotions is not an exaggeration. We are in the process of organizing a celebration of his life, and dealing with all of the feelings that accompany that: sadness, grief, anger, overwhelm, frustration, and disbelief to name the most often occurring ones.<\/span><\/p>\nIn spite of everything I managed to finish and submit a novella I had been working on, and now have no deadlines to meet which feels odd at the moment. I’ve\u00a0worked steadily since last September and was able to write and submit two novels, and a novella. \u00a0I have to remind myself that it’s okay to take a break. That it’s enough for now. The photo at the top of this blog post also reminds me that writing is not a race\u00a0and that maintaining a constant state of production is not healthy for anyone. It’s okay to\u00a0sit and think for a while, to take time to plan and daydream and watch a storm from your\u00a0porch. Slow progress is still making progress toward your goals.<\/span><\/p>\n My way of hitting the reset button and filling my creative well is home repairs and improvement projects. I have two rooms to strip wallpaper from, patch and repair and then paint. \u00a0 It may seem odd that home\u00a0improvement projects are one of my favorite forms of self-care, but it is very relaxing for me to spend hours solely focusing on avoiding brush<\/span> strokes and roller marks. I also keep a notebook nearby because more than once I have had to stop painting and write down story ideas that pop up while my focus is elsewhere. Never be afraid to hit the reset button and give yourself the time you need to fill your creative well. For you writers and creatives out there how do you hit the reset button?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brenda Murphy writes short fiction and novels. She loves tattoos and sideshows and yes, those are her monkeys. \u00a0When she is not loitering at her local tea shop and writing, she wrangles two kids, one dog, and an unrepentant parrot. \u00a0She\u00a0reviews books,\u00a0blogs about life as a writer with ADHD and\u00a0publishes\u00a0photographs on her\u00a0blog\u00a0<\/a>Writing While Distracted.\u00a0<\/a>You can find her\u00a0on Facebook by clicking\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0 Sign Up for sneak peeks, information on new releases,\u00a0appearances, and occasional recipes here \u00a0\u00a0www.brendalmurphy.com<\/a><\/p>\n Books available at<\/p>\n Amazon\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n NineStar Press<\/a><\/p>\n Knotted Legacy<\/a><\/p>\n Both Ends of the Whip<\/a><\/p>\n ONE \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Sum of the Whole\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Dominique and Other Stories\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you follow my blog, you know that this spring was a difficult one. We lost my brother-in-law to depression in March. To say we’ve been on a spinning wheel of emotions is not an exaggeration. We are in … Continue reading