So it’s that time of year! A
time of joy, peace on earth, endless shopping lists, supermarkets and highways
full of cranky shoppers, children whining for the latest toy…..
Wait a minute? Isn’t
Christmas supposed to be about something else?
At this crazy time of year
it is so easy to become overwhelmed and lose focus as a writer—as a child of
God. Therefore I thought I would offer some light relief and offer you my
Christmas survival list. Please chip in with your thoughts as we count
down—only five days to go!
- Gratitude. Be grateful—write down what you are grateful for. When you focus on what you don’t have you no longer see what you do have.
- Smile. Big. All the time—goodness, just fake it till you make it because I’m sure someone will catch that smile and spread it all around. A very affordable form of Christmas cheer.
- Breathe. Find some time to breathe deeply—use that diaphragm! When you stop and do this you will notice the special moments going on around you, the reasons you still bother with this holiday.
- Eat. Lots. Stop worrying—you can diet later. Or, like me, you can adopt the ‘exercise so I can eat what I want’ philosophy.
- Laugh—even more than you eat. It’ll burn off calories and warm your soul in the process.
- Pat yourself on the back for every achievement. Really—write them down, brag about them. Honestly, this one’s important, particularly as a writer because you’ll probably have a few moments wondering what you actually achieved this year!
- Cuddle someone—a kid, a husband, a dog or a cat. Spread the love people because there’s never too much of it and it never fails. (Also a really nice reminder to us romance writers that there is still romance in our lives and its not just on the page)
- Give. Time, money, a listening ear, a talent, a kind word. Don’t wait for a Christmas miracle. Be one.
- Write, but only from the heart. No editing allowed over the Christmas break, I say this space is for the freedom of a creative heart.
- Read. Because you can, because you love it, because it’s good for you. Whether you’re in the hot Australasian summer hanging in a hammock, or in the middle of a white Christmas, needing to pull on a sweater and your favourite socks — do yourself a favour and disappear into the pages of a book.
What are the things that
keep you sane over this Christmas period?
Disclaimer: No guarantees will be
made that the author of this post will follow her own advice.
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Catherine Hudson writes Historical and Contemporary romance for the CBA market. She was a finalist in the 2013 MARA fiction from the Heartland contest.
