Words Made Easy

Last year I announced that I was writing a novel. Or two. Now twelve months later I wonder where they are and why they’re not yet finished. I am stuck.

Just as I was also stuck in January.  On a too-relaxed, not-enough-exercise and way-too-much-good-food cycle. It was tough, but somebody had to do it.

Then one morning in early February, I realised I could no longer look past my expanded waist-line. All of a sudden I decided that the happy-go-lucky, eat-what-you-may person was not going to me any longer. It was time to pass on the baton.

Now six weeks later, I am certainly looking fitter and feeling healthier. Though you must realise that my body doesn’t change weight.

Even when I felt fat and frumpy I weighed 60 kilos. Now that I am leaner and fitter, I still weigh 60 kilos. However, I can jog continuously for an hour, beat a couple of training buddies in a sprint, and last weekend, I completed a 3km run/1 km ocean swim biathlon.

Compared with the I-pant-when-I-walk-off-the-beach-to-buy-ice-cream person I was a while back, this is quite an achievement. But it didn’t come overnight. No, it’s taken a slow-but-sure, continuously upgraded commitment to get here.

I focused on the easy things first: no more wine with dinner during the week and forget the piece of chocolate for dessert. And I took up a couple of training sessions a week. Each with a group trainer because there was no way I was able to drag myself, alone and unfit, along to do anything.

Once I had mastered a couple of weeks of this, I asked the trainer to write me a personal program; a guide to what I should be doing on the days I wasn’t training with her. It was fair and not overly taxing, but it certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone: she had me training six days a week! And although some of those sessions were merely a walk or yoga class, that’s still a mighty transition from what I had been doing – namely: nothing.

Today I look proudly in the mirror, with realistically critical eyes. I can see what a huge difference the last few weeks have made to my physique. I can also see how much further I would like to go. But I am well and truly on the road.

I have also realised that once we start on the journey towards a goal, continous improvements and adjustments will be required along the way. Obstacles will rear their head; trials to test and strengthen our resolve.

One of my sessions is a long, slow distance (LSD – if only it were so fun) run. This was fine for the first few weeks but as I have been extending the time and distance, it’s begun putting a lot of pressure on my right knee. I ran through it for a few weeks but it is just getting worse. So until improves I have to find a different, equally challenging endurance session to replace it. 

Its also interesting to note that though I am ‘training’ both to lose some weight and ultimately to compete in the 8km ‘Mothers Day Classic’ fun run in May, my training sessions comprise far more than running. They are split into swimming, cycling, sprints, hills, weights and yoga. By rotating each of these activities, my body has a chance to recover muscle groups while still building aerobic fitness and overall strength. Ultimately this should make me a better, faster runner.

So what has this got to do with my writing? 

1. I have realised I can’t do this on my own.
2. That though I have a solid base from which to start, I still need mentoring and guidance.
3. That in order to achieve a goal, one must make it a regular practice.
4. I need to remember how to enjoy it.
5. Know that some-days it will be a challenge but to push through anyway.
6. That rather than beating my head against an obstacle, to yeild and find a way around it… perhaps an alternative approach for a while.
7. That cross-training can build strength in all areas. So though I want to write a novel, many different exercises in writing, including my blog and business copywriting business, are valid contributions.
8. That training (or writing) as part of a group can make it more fun and easier to stick with.
9. Signing up to a course may just be that extra motivation I require.
10. I must write something every day.

In light of these realisations I have joined Australian writing group: Write Well! Write Now! I’m hoping it can provide the camraderie, goal-setting, motivation and inspiration that I am struggling to find for myself. I’m committed to six months of this group. But if my pyhsical training has any similarities I should be able to tell you in six weeks, that I am noticing a difference.

And what has any of this got to do with you?

Think about which techniques you have used in the mastery of your personal life, that you could apply for success in your business world… When its part of your ‘fun’ it can seem easier somehow. But if you were to break down your achievements, I bet you could apply similar tatics to a work-life challenge.

Please – share your thoughts. And stay posted for my reports back on how the writing (and running) is progressing. 

Let’s get this conversation started,
Charlotte

This entry was posted on Friday, March 27th, 2009 @ 4:46 pm on the category Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.