Blogging hasn’t happened much in six weeks. I’ve only posted once. I think I needed a break to refocus my writing efforts and find the courage to keep going.

It’s not that I quit chasing my dream. I needed to grow a writing habit because consistency is important for the long haul. As I’ve said before, the rhythm doesn’t always last and writers have to find new ways to work on the craft when inspiration runs low. We cannot, I’m learning, rely on creativity bursts to push us forward.

I have written something for the past twelve days and that is the most progress I’ve made in a while. The words may not be good; editing comes later. It is necessary to dig the words out of the depths. Once I start typing, it can be surprising what comes to the surface. But at least I’m writing again and the excitement of continuing with my memoir makes me look forward to that part of my day.

I also paused on blogging recently because I have lost a sense of direction. I don’t know where I should go with writing or what life will even look like next year. I want to figure things out and carry around ideas, but that puts my focus in the future. There are still too many unknowns that can threaten to make me stall. I can sit here for weeks if I’m waiting for a bigger picture. Or I can continually choose to trust in what God is doing and where He is leading over and over.

I came across a Mother Theresa quote on Twitter yesterday: “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” This reminded me to keep taking one step at a time. The first draft of my memoir is nowhere near complete or organized, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t share more stories now. Each day I write, I’m adding to the whole and moving closer to reaching another milestone.

So I’m making new plans for the blog. I want to be more consistent here as well as in the quiet of my room where I type away on the book idea. Today I am planning weekly posts (I hope!). Mondays will now be “Memoir Mondays”. The kind of posts you can expect are: stories of growing up, status updates on what I like to call Project: Memoir, and current adventures in the life of a twentysomething.

*Photo credit: mariareyesmcdavis via Flickr (Creative Commons)