Being a mom is never easy. I went to see Sex and the City 2 with my sister this weekend, and the scene where Charlotte locks herself in the pantry with babies crying at the door had me in tears. I’ve been there. I’m pretty sure most all moms have been there, and feel guilty for it.
Mommy guilt is a bitch.
The moral of the story for Charlotte was: she needed a break. Everyone needs a break once in a while to recharge their batteries. Whether it’s a few minutes locked in a pantry or a weekend getaway, sometimes all you need is quiet.
What’s my point? Well, my point is that, as writers, we need breaks too. I know the mantra is to write every day. Push, push, push. Go, go, go. But life happens.
Kids get sick, computers die, an apocalypse is knocking at the door. Well…maybe not the last one.
Then comes the writer’s guilt. The — I’m not doing enough! OMG I’m never going to finish this book/get published/make it through revisions — thoughts that plague us just because we took a day off.
So, I’m here to say: It’s okay to take a day off, as long as you come back.
Taking a day off is not quitting, it is not giving up or admitting defeat. It’s giving your mind time to rest, to think, to percolate. Fun word, percolate.
Anyway, don’t let writer’s guilt (or mommy guilt!) get you down.
Writing may not be easy. You may find a challenge at every turn, but how you handle them is what defines you. Follow your dreams, live your life, and let nothing hold you down.
