Optimistic October
I was delighted to discover that, according to Action for Happiness, this month is Optimistic October, mostly because I love a bit of alliteration but also because, after a month of ‘back to school’ madness, illness, the death of a monarch and the barrage of negative news headlines, my new notebook joie de vivre was already flagging. As for my writing - writing has fallen way down my very long to do list recently.
I like the Action for Happiness calendars because they’re often a reminder to be kind to ourselves. If we’re exhausted at the moment and not achieving everything we hoped for, it’s hardly surprising. It’s a busy time of year for everyone and the world is an exhausting place at this point in history. As a coach, I’m constantly struck by the need to balance goal-setting with compassion. Sometimes we need to push through and hold ourselves accountable and sometimes we need to accept that we’re not in a race as writers and that some things can wait; sometimes we need to rest and take care of ourselves in order to be creative.
So, I particularly like the idea of breaking goals down into small achievable steps and to being flexible in our approach to our ambitions. So many of the prompts on the Optimistic October calendar can helpfully be applied to the writing life. This October, I invite you to see how you can move gently and optimistically towards your goals with. Try these ones for starters. Check in with yourself and see if you can use these prompts to inspire you. We’re a third of the way through the month. There’s still time to make progress!
Take a small step towards a small goal
Make some progress on a task you’ve been avoiding
Take time to reflect on what you've accomplished recently
Ask for help to overcome an obstacle you’ve been experiencing
Put down your to-do list and do something fun and uplifting
Let go of the expectations of others and focus on what matters to you
Recognise that you have a choice about what you prioritise
You can’t do everything! What are your three priorities right now?
Find a new perspective on a problem you face
Be kind to yourself. Remember progress takes time
