It’s easy to form a habit. It’s just doing the same thing consistently. Easy.
It’s also easy to break a habit. You just stop doing it. Again, easy.
Of course, neither’s usually quite as easy as all that. Most of the time. Breaking the habit of crafting and writing, however, both very easy.
I had good habits of both, and reading, before the Horrible Heat of the Summer put paid to, well, basically everything, and it’s been a bit harder than I’d like to get back into them. So I still have a lot of the Stash to use up, and lots of the Library still to read.
I had all sorts of crafting projects in mind, too, to use up the Stash. So many cards to make (not even close, though I have managed some simple ones this week), so many Christmas gifts (I have, however, just finished making some beeswax candles I bough supplies for back in the summer, and now I must figure out packaging for them), so many scrapbook pages (photos still not printed; I was supposed to be doing those monthly: I am so far behind!).I am also going to attempt a Ruthless Clearout, of the papers especially which simply no longer Spark Joy. Life’s too short; they’ve had their time. The Tinies can play now.
And writing! I have reams of notes and ideas for posts and stories. But the posts have been intermittent since taking the summer off. At least one of the stories is, however, taking off, and I have been managing fairly regular work on it. Which is comforting, although I am feeling that common niggle of needing to go back over and edit (or switch to another project), having reached, well, the quarter point. Just need to push on through. Not like it isn’t planned almost to the end, so there’s no reason to stop and go back or hop to another story-train.
As for the reading, well the Real Library keeps distracting me. I found a fab little children’s book the other day. Read it in the library, only took about ten minutes, about the ball in Cinderella, and what happens to the other guests when the Prince so rudely only dances with Cinders. Sadie Jones and the Ball, maybe? But, you know, not a help in reading my own books. Although I am having another go at Jingo! on my Kindle again.
And Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones in print form. That one’s being quite fun. And I know it came (long) before the current trapped-in-a-video-game tale riding high in the lists, Dungeon Crawler Carl, I think, and which recently joined my library. Although I’ve been told that one has anime roots. But it’ll be interesting to read them in close succession.
Anyway, here’s to re-establishing good habits for the things which bring me joy!
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