Say Yes!
"No and yes cause long disputes." ~ Author Unknown
Summer is here. The kids are home from school and enjoying carefree days of doing nothing or everything - whatever their hearts desire.
Do you remember those days? Days of waking up late, staying up even later, and then spending your day with no agenda?
One would think that being a writer I would embrace the summer and enjoy the kids not being on the school-year schedule.
One would think that being a writer I would embrace the summer and be just as carefree as the kids.
WRONG!
For some reason the summer totally stresses me out. MY schedule is off. I feel guilty being at the computer all day trying desperately to weave my plot, solve conflicts (and let's not even talk about the love scenes!) while the kids living in the moment.
So, after a sleepless night last night (and yes some sleepwalking and talking were involved!) I've come to the conclusion my stress isn't good for anyone - not me, not the hubby and certainly not my kids! 
I've decided to give myself permission to step away from the computer and the writing for a little bit each day. I decided to say "YES" to something different. It's definitely going to mean some later nights writing and plotting - but if it reduces the stress during the day, that's a good thing.
This morning I'm thinking about the Jim Carrey movie, Yes Man. 
(Probably because it's been on cable lately and for some reason it's stuck in my head.)
Carl is a man stuck in a life he's not happy with, he's lost the woman he thought he loved, he's no fun to be around and his friends are worried about him.
He attends a seminar (okay, more like is dragged to a seminar) where he's told his life will change if he embraces the idea of "YES!" He leaves the seminar and immediately finds himself with a choice to make - he says yes (because it's a movie and there would be no plot if he didn't, but that's beside the point...) and his life takes on an interesting twist.
Now, let's be honest, this is a Jim Carrey movie - it's not deep and certainly not serious, but the more you watch it, the more you think about the idea. What opportunites are out there waiting for you if you say yes to something today instead of no? What will change in your life if you do somethinig different - could it be something good? Say yes to the blue cheese dressing instead of the lo-cal italian. Say yes to the extra lap around the block today while walking with the kids - you never know what they might tell you in those added minutes of alone, undivided time.
So what do you think, can you slow down for the summer? Do you have a way to combat the stress and live in the moment, even if just for an hour or two? Can you say "YES" to something different today?
R.M.Gilbert (2)
Krysten (1)
