I thought I would be talking about social gatherings as motivation and encouragement, but no one showed for the writers group, so I changed tactics. With no one in the library meeting room and having it to myself for three hours, I got a decent amount of work done.
The library is a great place to go for peace and quiet. It can be a great place to meet like minded people, but it is good for peace and quiet, too. I can focus on my work without distractions. Which I deal with quite a lot at home.
Working from home as a writer is not my forte. This much I know. With two adorable cats competing for my attention, a husband who means well but sometimes interrupts my thoughts (like JUST NOW to remind me about beans….thank you, but now, where was I?), and a plethora of chores I need to do because I can see them in front of me.
If I can just leave the house, I often get a bit more work done. I have a spot at a local office space just for writers which I suspended for the summer, and after today, I think I’m going to start that back up immediately. The motivation hasn’t completely returned, but feeling the focus and having something to work on without any distractions was a little bit like heaven for me.
Right now, I am in need of quiet solitude but in a specific way. Most of the time, the quiet solitude I seek out is in nature. It’s funny, but even when I’m with another person, when I’m walking, jogging, or hiking through the woods, my mind becomes much clearer. I am focused, driven, and feel at peace.
I think that’s also why I enjoy swimming so much. It’s just me and my element. No schedule, no distractions, no worries. Just the water and myself. I have a wetsuit. Even though swimming season is nearly over, I can still go for a swim.
These quiet times are the perfect recipe for appreciating nature and practicing conservation. Maybe not actively, but I still think it helps preserve the environment. Baba Dioum once said “For in the end, we will conserve only what we love…”. It’s what I refer to as “Passive Conservation”, or conservation through osmosis. The more we love a place, whether it’s the perfect spot to think and get away, or it’s the perfect spot for a workout, the more we will appreciate it. The more we appreciate nature, the more we are willing to do anything to protect it.
So, find your quiet spot. And go to become refreshed, rejuvenated, and renewed.
Great job on turning that drive into something productive. I will try not to interrupt you in the future 🙂