The Opposite of Nothing
Currently reading:
How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell
Books finished this week: 0
Library updates:
Yes, I am still reading How to Do Nothing, because I have not been taking Odell’s advice. I feel like I’ve been doing everything——the opposite of nothing——for the last few weeks . . . and I am exhausted.
I know I said last week that I enjoyed being busy and that hasn’t already changed (I promise!). But between work and family and keeping in touch with friends and getting to do things I both want and need to do, I haven’t left myself much time for reading. A fair amount of writing, thankfully. But the books are piling up.
(Literally. I just bought a new bookshelf.)
Top shelf: Basket for borrowed books. Bottom shelf: Mostly National Book Festival books, plus assorted ephemera.
The secret, though, is that I did finish a book this week. I had asked for the month of September off from reviewing, but one managed to slip through the cracks and into my queue in late September. I’m working on the review now——I liked the book! Mostly!——but I’m proud of myself for finishing the reading in a timely fashion.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, I was having a bit of A Day. Or more of An Afternoon. A lot of things just kind of piled up and I found myself getting dangerously close to a spiral.
And then I remembered what time it was——almost 4pm——and that I had meant to vacuum the apartment. It had been on my to-do list for two weeks, but I was busy working during the day and then sometimes getting home too late to get it done. I don’t necessarily have friends in my building, but I don’t want to make enemies. There were also, of course, days when I just couldn’t do it. Or didn’t want to. Whichever felt right.
Anyhow, I had a meeting coming up and I was in such a mood, and then I remembered that I had this chore I had to do. For some reason, though, vacuuming sounded incredibly appealing all of a sudden. I got my broom out to sweep up some cat litter, then brought the vacuum into my bedroom to tidy up. Vacuum to keep from crying, I thought to myself, deciding not to name the blog post that, because I’ve already used Crafting to Keep from Crying.
It worked. Moving and cleaning made me feel like I had a purpose, and a task that I could easily complete. I was away from my computer for ten minutes and moving around my apartment. I opened windows and let in the cool, distinctly fall-feeling air. I felt better.
I know vacuuming isn’t always going to be a fix for combating negative thoughts, but I was glad to have it in my arsenal this week.
Something that also continue to help (and which doesn’t require dust bunnies) is writing. Journaling and blogging, yes, but fiction work, too. I’m working on The Superhero Novel™, which I’ve tweeted about a few times, and mostly trying not to sweat plot holes and just get shit down on the page. I’m so close to the finale. There will be a ton of work to do after that, but it’s been so long since I completed a project, or even just part of a writing project, that I know I’ll be able to ride that high for a few weeks, at least.
I went to three writing groups in the past week. Shut Up and Write has been keeping me afloat over the last few weeks, by forcing me to show up, to participate, to share. I am so thankful to have my creativity back and I’m enjoying learning how to navigate it in this new form. Yes, writing every week is good. But if I have to skip a meet-up, that’s okay. If I only write one sentence, that’s okay. If I don’t want to work one week and don’t write very much the next, that’s okay.
I’m forming a new routine, which is helping me treat writing as a hobby, meaning something to be enjoyed. I don’t feel pressured to finish, to be the best. I just want to write when I want to write. I want to hear what other people are working on and talk about characters and plots and ideas. I’m glad to have a reason to get out into the world and do something I love. I’m glad to have my inspiration back.
Closing thoughts:
Get up and move.
