Complacency and An Extended Blogging Break

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At the beginning of August I felt fired up and motivated. My head was spinning with ideas about what I could do and achieve over the month and I had a whole bunch of plans as to how I was going to move forward. 

It lasted two days. 

It wasn’t intentional, but I ended up having an extended blogging break. I tried to convince myself that it was needed, but the truth of it was that I simply couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm to post anything on a regular basis. After six and a half years and thousands of articles the mental burnout was real.

It isn’t like I haven’t been busy. Over August I built up my social media client base, regularly attended fitness class (and developed a friendship with the instructor and her lovely family), went shopping with Helen from Journey to Ambeth and her daughter around Brum, seen some shows, had a weekend visit from my sister (during which we explored Kenilworth Castle on a very windy day) and then got smacked with a nasty cold virus thing that knocked me out for over a week.

The benefit of not being well enough to do much except lie on the couch is that it provides a lot of time to think, and as a result I’ve been able to straighten out various things in my head that were preventing me from doing anything of real worth to progress forward. The biggest realisations have been about not just what I want and where I would like to be in the future, but the work required to achieve it.

I still find this time of year rather strange. Schools go back tomorrow and in my old life I would have most of today feeling desperately depressed about the prospect of having to start another school year. This morning, however, I went for a walk during a glorious sunrise with almost nobody else around (aside from a few squirrels that were busy yelling at each other across the trees) and the sense of relief and gratitude that accompanied such a stunning start to the day was almost overwhelming. Tomorrow is my own. Yes, being self-employed is hard, particularly when competing for what is often small scraps of work, but I live a very privileged life. Sometimes I forget that. 

So I start September with the same feeling I had a month ago. This time, however, I’m prepared. I have several blog posts ready to go, the comments section is now back on, my trackers are set in my Bullet Journal, I’ve committed to daily activities of self-improvement and (hopefully) nothing of significance will get in the way. 

Happy September! 

What about you guys? Does complacency affect your working habits? Do you forget to be thankful for the positive in life?

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog and you can also find me on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/suzie81speaks, my Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/suzie81speaks and my instagram page http://www.instagram.com/suzie81speaks

57 thoughts on “Complacency and An Extended Blogging Break”

    • Hi lovely! Totally agree – I’ve been so down about the blog for such a long time I think I needed to walk away for a while so I could miss it again… woo! Looking forward to catching up!

  4. we all need to take breaks (or should, in some cases, but don’t). it is what we need to do to reflect and reenergize. come and go as feels comfortable and when it is enjoyable. happy to see you –

  5. Welcome back! I’m trying to stay positive but I’m exhausted.. however if I stop I know I will stop for a while, and I need to keep going. Kids are back to school on Tuesday and I’m hoping some me time will help! Self care is so important but right now I have no time. I need to get motivated with my poor overgrown garden, but my six year old is now lying out there reading My Little Pony. As a child I wished to grow up, and now well it’s hard work being a grown up!

  6. I’ve spent the last four years on a roller coaster of emotion. And it has affected my outlook on life. And my writing. I do my best to forgive myself for the lows, use them to recharge, count my blessings and move forward. Sometimes it takes stepping back a minute to move ahead. And you will!

  8. Hi Suzie, it’s been a long time since I posted a reply, though I’ve read many of your posts.
    I started following you when you were asking questions about teaching. I found your problems to be ordinary but your concerns to be profound. You wanted to help your students and asked for ideas about how to be effective in the classroom. I don’t know if I ever said anything that made a difference to you, but I cared that you cared.
    It bothered me when you made your decision to end your teaching career as a full time classroom instructor, but took on substitute teaching instead. It seemed that the kids were missing out on a truly talented, capable, dedicated teacher, and the whole world needs better teachers.
    Reading today’s entry, I realize how much you dreaded teaching and why you had to give it up. I taught art for many decades, and I began every single school day thrilled to be doing what I truly loved. I could have been a better teacher, I could have gotten along better with the administrations of the schools where I taught, but I couldn’t have loved teaching kids more. I still miss it but at my age, I’m no longer teaching.
    I’m sorry that the pressures of demanding administrators, of irresponsible and entitled students, and of obnoxious parents took such a toll on you. Students lost a great teacher when you left, the fault of a terrible system, but you made the right decision for you.
    You turned your life into a new career and created a new you. Good for you for all that you’ve achieved and everything in your future. Here’s wishing you well on new endeavors.

    • Hi Sharon! Thanks so much – it’s certainly been a journey! You were so blessed to love your job so much, I don’t know of many people who feel the same way! Thanks for all your support as always!

  10. It’s interesting to read all of the comments here, you clearly put your finger on things a lot of others are feeling as well…the idea of “taking a break” is both good AND bad…you come back refreshed, but also fearful that something was missed…

    • Hi John! Yeah – it’s something that a lot of people have been able to relate to, I’ve had so many messages today! You’re totally right – it’s definitely both a positive and negative thing!

  12. “Does complacency affect your working habits?”

    For me, it is not complacency. Every day, I struggle to stop procrastinating and achieve the goals that are written on the whiteboard in my home ofice so I can check them off and return to procrastinating.

    In fact, a couple of days ago, I was introduced to Kurt Hugo Schneider’s YouTube page that has 12 million followers. The second day, I subscribed.

    To watch and listen to the music videos he produces adds more temptation to procrastinate and avoid writing, revising, or editing one of the four books I’m working on. And then there is keeping up with blogging. You said it all here: “It wasn’t intentional, but I ended up having an extended blogging break. I tried to convince myself that it was needed, but the truth of it was that I simply couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm to post anything on a regular basis. After six and a half years and thousands of articles, the mental burnout was real.” I’m in the same spot and to meet my monthly blogging goals is now a forced venture.

    If you want to be tempted to subscribe to KHS, too, here is the link to one of his most popular music videos with 168 million views. Kurt brings in different singers all the time for the videos I think he mostly produces out of his home. Kurt is the guy on the left of this trio.

    “Do you forget to be thankful for the positive in life?”

    No, I remind myself every morning during the one to two-hour exercise routine I follow that includes 20 minutes of meditation where I remind myself to be thankful for all the positive things in my life.

    • Thanks Lloyd. Meditation is definitely something I need to start doing too! The procrastination is so tempting when working online as there are do many distractions! I’ve found a gratitude journal has really helped

  13. I have also had a blogging g break, much longer than I anticipated!! However, it was lovely to
    Read your post and know that my blogging buddies are still going strong. It sounds like that walk you had this morning did you the world of good Suzie. I hope things continue to go well for you and look forward to catching up with you and our wonderful blogging community soon. 😊

  14. Pingback: How to Create a Gratitude Journal That Actually Works | Suzie Speaks

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