Week #16: Start/Stop/Continue

Last Sunday I published my monthly newsletter and in it, I mentioned how I’m always feeling behind. But that same evening, I sat down to take stock of everything I did in May, and the list surprised me:

- Played shows in and out of State.

- Published my newsletter and all 3 weekly journal entries.

- Took a three-day vacation.

- Submitted draft number two of a short story to my coach.

- Shared “Maladjusted”

- One of my favorite authors started following me on Substack.

- Interviewed another one of my favorite authors.

- Made time to see a friend when he came through town while on tour.

- Bought a plane ticket to visit my family.

- Submitted articles of amendments to my band’s LLC.

- Started a songwriting course.

- Took time to be outside in the sunshine.

All of that with a bum knee, and a full time job.

I’m not sharing to brag, it’s to show myself how much I actually do, and how little credit I give myself for it.

This week instead of continuing at full speed I allowed myself time to reassess. I see recalibration happening all around me; at work, roles are being revised. At home, my father is coming to terms with his lack of mobility. In my yard, the birds have returned for another season.

I hear everyone asking the same question: what to start, stop, or continue.

Here are my answers.

Start: Songwriting course, Points of Failure video series.

Continue: Rehabbing my knee, working with a trainer, working with my writing coach, restructuring the band business entity, publishing my newsletter and weekly updates, submitting fiction to magazines

Stop: Giving myself zero credit. 

A view of Chicago in the summer; the reason we all stay here.

Read my new story "Maladjusted"