The last day of the retreat, Lisa Mangum shared a quote from a Disney Imagineer:
“Don’t worry. Don’t hurry. Don’t stop.”
Just read that a few times. Soak up the full meaning. Appreciate each sentence.
I’m very much a jump-in-with-both-feet kind of person. If I’m working on something, I’m working on it every moment I can spare. Which gets to be a little crazy when I overload myself and have way too many projects that I’m cramming into every spare moment.
Writing is one of those things that can really take over everything else in my life. And sometimes, that’s okay. I can let the housework and side projects slide for a bit while I get the words out of my blood.
But I’m quickly approaching a point in my life where writing will have to take a back seat for a while. And while I’m okay with that, I’ve spent a lot of time wondering exactly what that means. Do I put away all my manuscripts? Do I still set deadlines? Do I prioritize the blog over writing new material, or vice versa?
“Don’t worry.” Don’t stress over defining exactly what my writing life is going to be like in the coming year.
“Don’t hurry.” It’s okay if I’m not churning out three novels in a year. Or even one novel in a year. The pace will pick up again later.
“Don’t stop.” Sheer relief at this final statement. I don’t have to pull out of writing completely. I don’t have to shut off my story brain (as if I even could). Productivity may slow to a trickle, but don’t let it stop!
How does this quote reflect on your writing life?
BumblesBooks 
I love it. And I need to remember it. Especially with my overachieving and perfectionist tendencies. This is something I need to repeat to myself to get me through.
I know, it’s such a simple quote, but hard to remember all the time and put into practice. I need to frame it or something!
Such a great quote! Now to print it in huge font, laminate it, and hang it where I can see it from my writing chair. So many times in the past, well, since the kids were born, I’ve had to remind myself I’ll be able to get back to writing. Now, I’m back 🙂
Great blog! I love reading your posts. The quote had application in so many areas. Thanks for sharing.
Yes! Isn’t it such a great quote for life in general? I’m going to hang it up over the mirror or something so I can remember.