Time to Unplug

It is time. I never know when it will arrive, but the time is now. 

Time to step away from deadlines and commitments.

Time to take a break from blogging and social media. 

I plan ahead for these times when I travel, but otherwise, having the luxury of being retired, I make last-minute plans as the mood strikes.

Blogging was a struggle last week, and I realized my blogging brain needs some nourishment - time to read, learn, and reflect.

When social media posts blur into similar messages and stories, and my only posts are links to blog posts and updates about my dog and granddaughter, I know it is time to stop - for now.

And so I am taking a month off!

How will I fill this next month?

My granddaughter will be visiting for a week. We will go to the playground, visit the llamas, hug old-growth cedars, read books, watch movies, craft, and play make-believe.

I am heading to Ucluelet and Tofino for a short holiday with my husband. We will stop to visit friends along the way. We will hike the Wild Pacific Trail with Bella, listen to the pounding surf of Cox Bay, challenge each other to cribbage tournaments, and read by the fire, wrapped up in warm blankets. We will visit dog-friendly Twin City Brewing and Tofino Brewing, sit at a picnic table to enjoy fish tacos at Tacofino, and order takeout at the Surfside Grill. And - what a luxury - I will finally use a gift certificate I received last year and go for a spa afternoon at Black Rock Resort. 

We may also - and I stress the word may - paint our laundry room before taking delivery of a new washer and dryer.

Although I won’t be blogging and posting on social media, I will still be spending a lot of time at my desk - one of my favourite spots in the house - looking out over the fields of cows and sheep across the road. I will be working on the curriculum for my workshop series, All Women Are Daughters, which starts mid-November, and putting the final touches on new themes for my alumni group. 

And - I will be writing! I get so caught up supporting other women to write their stories that my writing has slipped to the bottom of the pile.

Finally, I hope to establish a routine to ensure that my personal writing becomes a priority. I am thinking of two days a week devoted to me! No taking a break for housework, fixing dinner, or getting distracted by the internet! Two days a week to unplug and finally immerse myself in the writing project I have put aside for over two years!

I will still be checking emails though, so feel free to connect – I do love hearing from you! I look forward to reconnecting with all of you in mid-November!