NaNoWriMo Update + Mental Health PSA

National Novel Writing Month is upon us!

And I signed up to partake in it this year. I’ve never completed one 50k manuscript in a month before, but I have high hopes! And if I don’t–oh well–that doesn’t mean I’ll stop writing.

I -have- completed 40k divided into 2 stories. Veiled Allurement and Hunter’s Truce were both written during last year [2018] during the July Camp Nano!

My current word count total is 17k and while I’m behind, I know I can catch up in no time!

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This brings me to the next thing I want to discuss. Why did you fall so far behind Elle? For those of you who don’t know, I own and run Willow Ridge Candles and I booked myself a crazy amount of events this month, on top of Nano, on top of motherhood and all that jazz. That’s how.

But earlier in the month, I had a check-up with my doctor, and he discussed the importance of a healthy routine. He didn’t mean rituals–he wanted me to reintroduce walking, something physical! I used to run 5k’s, half-marathons before life became too crazy. Get back to that, he told me. Not for fitness’ sake, but for your health, it’ll make you feel better. Yeah yeah yeaaah. I know.  So, I came up with the idea to make morning walks as routine as brushing my teeth. I own a treadmill so on ugly days I can hop on that, but also…I set a goal for myself, not so unlike nanowrimo! I signed up for a virtual challenge. 20k in a month with your dog! Which, for US folks, is 12 miles. I’m currently at 7 miles logged in just 2 weeks. I don’t do insanely long walks, just 20 mins for me which is 1.3 miles.

I’ve mentally benefited from these walks, and so have my dogs. I feel energetic, my mind is clear and I should by rights, and understandably so, be freaking out that I’m behind schedule, that I have a stupid amount of events and candles to make, that I’m behind not just this novel but my overall writing schedule. But I’m not.

So, my PSA to you is, get active. Stroll around your neighborhood. Go for a hike. Go collect shells at the beach or lake. Walk around the mall or your local shopping area and if you need to challenge yourself…do it. Lift those weights, start that elipitcal machine, get on the stationary bike. 15 minutes, that’s it! You have 15 mins you can swap for staring at your phone or computer screen.

 

In closing, take care of yourself! SERIOUSLY. Let me know how you’re doing.

 

P.S. I’m sending out a newsletter today that has some amazing content and some wonderful opportunities for YOU… If you’re not already signed up >>DO IT HERE<< you also get 3 free books, too!

 

~Elle