Good intentions are, unfortunately, not all that is needed to achieve your goals. Life is about hard work, and commitment to going on with things, it is about having the drive to challenge that which does not work, and work hard to overcoming that which challenges you.
Waking up on the first morning of NaNoWriMo 2016 with Gravel Lung (the monicker I have given to the sensation of a second day chest infection settling into my lungs) was not the start I would have chosen. Yet, my day started, regardless of how prepared I was for it, so I had no choice but to get on with it.
After waking at 6am and writing my first 78 words, I then had to support my brother with his morning routine before, getting ready for work. Most of my days start this way, and though I was trying to mentally prepare myself the night before, I woke drained with little energy to spare.
Before I had time to hit the keyboard again I was behind my desk at work, sipping on herbal tea, as I do constantly when I am ill. My colleagues harangued me from the moment I got in the door until the moment they got there way, and I left at lunch time, but rather than rush home to write. I made it home only to spend the latter part of the afternoon, and the majority of the evening sleeping.
I don’t feel better yet, but as is always the way when you sleep all day, I am now wide awake, if not still quite distracted by an incessant cough and a mopey demeanour. However, I am going to channel this into writing; first for a blog post, to mark the start of my NaNoWriMo journey and then I will return to today’s project.
I did manage to use my confidence for the day in one, unexpected way. I asked someone on a date, that they did not reply, and enough time has gone by that they are unlikely to do so is besides the point. Life is not about waiting for opportunity, create it, and seize every chance you can. Don’t leave questions unasked, don’t leave lessons unlearned, don’t repress your feelings and hope that they will work themselves out. Do, and be happy doing. Live, and be happy living.
To anyone else starting a NaNoWriMo challenge today, I wish you the best of luck. May this be your year if you haven’t already completed a project, and if you have, good luck anyway. The next 29 days are about creation, and perseverance, but to those who see it through the end result will be something amazing.
Day 1: 78/50’000 words written, 49’922 words to go
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