Chronic pain, setbacks and NaNoWriMo

Dear readers,

Today, I'm writing in chronic pain. But...I AM WRITING.

Today my Hashimoto's is making me feel terrible, weak, lethargic and sore. My head is pounding and my muscles and joints hurt me. But...I AM WRITING.

How do you overcome obstacles in your journey?? What steps of self care do you practice to ensure you stay on track? For me, it's a hot bubble bath (long soak) with incense, candles and soft music after a long day of work. Sometimes it's a favorite cold or hot beverage. At any rate, one must ESCAPE the madness in order to recharge. When I take care of ME, I am then able to give back. Let's face it, we cannot serve from an empty vessel; we must first fill ourselves up.

This post is not to gain sympathy...but rather...to share my struggles and hopefully resonate with you, as well. I know (most of us) will suffer with carpal tunnel at some point in our writing career, and let me tell you, it's no walk in the park.  Carpal tunnel is now in both of my wrists/arms, forcing me to medicate and to use ice packs.

But...I AM WRITING.

NaNoWriMo is my "WHY"...the reason i'm still plugging away. The battery on my laptop is at 1% and needs to be replaced ASAP. But still, I keep pushing forward, because NOVEL HAPPENS. Because my readers need me, and my book THE CHRISTMAS KEYS has to be written!

NaNoWriMo is my glowing pregnancy...my pride and joy...my Boston Marathon, so to speak. It's what I've done every November since 2012. That first year, I gave up on my script halfway because it grew stagnant and I was bored with my hero. But last year and this year, I am ON FIRE, and determined to finish with the 50,000 word criteria.

NaNoWriMo is my vision for the future. It helps me complete my project on time and with burning discipline. I also get a finished product and a plaque that commends me for my hard work.

So, carpal tunnel be damned! I AM WRITING. Hallmark needs my book and the world needs my message.

Til then,

Stay Passionate,

RR xo