Diary of Being a Writer; Week 149

I am feeling a little fragile despite how wonderful my life is.

See, I have a kitten, so all is well.

It has been a few weeks since I have written anything. It was a choice, but it was not one I would have made in an ideal world. I have been missing writing, missing working towards getting the novel I have finished out there. I chose to have a break to prioritise my new job and the learning that went with that. Fair enough, a sensible decision designed to give me the space to adjust and then once I had got the hang I would find a new routine and a new way of fitting my writing into my life while earning money from the non-writing related job of counselling.
With a history of depression and PTSD, I try to be careful about my mental health and making sure I am doing the right things for my well being. Self-care is a term that these days seems to evoke taking baths and lighting a few candles to “stay sane”. For me, self-care is about staying sane, keeping my brain chemicals in balance by not getting too stressed, understanding my limitations, meditating, exercising, strict sleep hygiene and eating well. And writing, writing is something that for me, keeps the chemicals in my brain in balance.
It is a pity that at the same time as I was learning how to do my new job and had taken a sensible break from writing that significant stress entered into my life.
In my past, I have…