One of the reasons I left my full-time job last spring was to rebalance my brain power.
I was in a job that was too draining, physically, mentally and emotionally. I wrote down a quote (can’t remember where I saw or heard it) that said:
“We have a finite amount of fuel to sustain/propel us—how do we spend our energy? If this is more important to me, what I can do to make it happen?”
My job required long days of intensely packed meetings and projects. When I got home at night, I had to check email and respond, often I had to continue working after Parker went to bed. There were also scarring situations that absolutely zapped my energy to say nothing of my confidence. I didn’t have energy or will to take on any personal writing projects and in the months leading up to the publication of Brooklyn In Love, this hurt me.
So I quit. And now I’m doing all kinds of writing projects and loving it.
Not only have I written articles these past few months about Brooklyn, Paris, Dutchess County and a piece that will be published in the New York Times Food section next month, but I’m taking a fiction-writing workshop because… why not? Writing fiction has always intimidated me, but maybe it would be really fun to write a novel. Maybe I have an awesome book in me. Maybe not. Even if the class leads to 10 half-baked pages, I’m sure it will spark new ideas and instill new skills that help my editorial writing. Maybe I’ll realize that I should focus on another non-fiction book idea, and that’s great.
The point is, I’m taking control of my time and my writing priorities. I’m still doing lots of ad work, and they’ve been great projects. Mentally, they’ve been stimulating, not depleting. I’m inspired and motivated. I’m less stressed and happier. It’s been my best decision since getting married and having Parker.