I had fun this week and a bit of adventure too. Here it is the end of February and I remembered to live out one of my New Year’s Resolutions. Do you remember yours? Dig them out, it might bring you a very happy day like it did for me.

One of my resolutions: Find time for the things I enjoy outside of books and Nia, like downhill skiiing…Take time each week to make sure one of these things is on my calendar.

We are coming to the end of ski season here in Michigan and, until recently, we weren’t getting a lot of snow. This week I faced an important decision: take advantage of the week and do something I enjoy or stay home and work on the lengthy to-do list. Hmm. It was a harder decision than it should have been.

it’s actually been two-years since I’ve skied. I know, terrible. Last year, I let the season slip by, but not this year. Luckily, skiing is much like riding a bike, your body’s muscle memory can remember what to do. Of course, the more often you ski the better your muscles will be at remembering.

Interesting!

After all the prep work of layering, gathering supplies, driving to the hill, getting on the boots, lugging my stuff in, getting my lift ticket, trekking to the lift, skis on, and butt in the chair…lift ;), I starting seeing many similarities to a writer’s life.

The more often your butt is in the seat the better you’ll be at your craft.

So, there I am at the top of the hill, such a pretty view, but I was not looking out at the view, nope. I was looking down at what looked like an icy terrain. Crap. My local hill is usually groomed so nicely, but the weather really hasn’t been cooperating this year with all the snows and melts and snows. So many things out of my control <– sounds like a writer’s life, doesn’t it. I reminded myself, I knew what to do, knees soft, weight forward, turn to slow down. Eek! I went for it.

That first run was terribly shaky, the icy slope didn’t help. I wanted to hit the delete button and try again. I got back on the chair lift and went to a different trail. I tried something different, but I had the same results, another icy slope and a shaky run. It didn’t work for me. Again, I tried a different trail. On the chair lift, I remembered I had yet to put in my ear buds. What a difference music makes. The third trip down, I tried another trail, with the help of the music and finally a fluffy, un-icy terrain, I started to get my groove back. Over the next couple of runs, my confidence appeared, I gained speed, shifted better into my turns, and I flew down the hill. So much fun.

It took effort and determination. I had to put faith in my abilities. When it wasn’t working, I tried something a little different. I kept at it. I held on to my foundation and built on it. I didn’t give up. When it all came together, I had the time of my life. The runs became effortless.

For the next hour and a half I went up and down the hill and I had so much fun. The whole experience was an excellent reminder of what we live everyday with our writing.

And the bonus analogy: Taking off your boots feels so good it’s like… (I’ve heard some dirty endings to this sentence, but I’ll go a different way) the pure bliss to be found when you type “The End.”

Of course my to-do list is ugly now, but it was worth it. So, tell me, have you had an adventure lately or something that reminds you of the writing journey?

Also, have you had a chance yet to see my Most Romantic flash? The link is below if you want a look see.

The Goals – week-7 results