Our theme for the month is grit: “Keep on keeping on.” I admit I had to look up where that phrase came from. A song by that name was written by Len Chandler and was referred to in a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1964. The version I love the most is sung by Curtis Mayfield. The lyrics are inspiring.
These recent months have been tough for all of us in many ways. The virus isn’t over yet, and neither are society’s injustices. And then we have our writing to keep keeping on with! So Wickeds, share your favorite coping trick to keep going when life is hard. Music, food, a mantra – whatever it is – please share.
Julie: What a great question, Edith! I have my morning routine of meditation, journaling and moving–my current workout is boxing, and I love it. I also think a lot about what I can do to make the world a better place, from wearing my masks to small action steps. I also bake.
Jessie: I find life feels best when I am consistently acting on my goals. I use a Kanban board to manage my projects adn tasks and I find that when things are challenging one of the best things for me to do is to break jobs and goals down into infintesimal parts so that I am able to see progress even if it is at a snail’s pace. Moving sticky notes to the done column on my Kanban board provides a dopamine hit which keeps me feeling chipper!
Sherry: I’ve had my nose buried in one book or the other since mid-March when we started our stay at home. It’s been my absolute escape and distraction. And I confess we ordered a lot of potato chips from Route 11 early on. Their pickle chips are the best. But we realized that particular form of comfort couldn’t continue.
Edith/Maddie: I’ve been finding respite in my own writing. I agree with Jessie, meeting my own goals keeps life manageable. And, like Sherry, I’ve found respite in reading. Losing myself in an imaginary story, whether my own or someone else’s, keeps the scary messy world at bay. A fast solo walk (instead of boxing) every day is also key. And I always bring a mask in case I meet someone in close quarters (which, where I walk, is rare).
Barb: Not feeling all that gritty. Mostly feeling that word that rhymes with gritty but is much less polite. So I’ll refrain from sharing my coping strategies.
Liz: I’m with you, Julie – meditation and journaling keep me sane, and exercise is right up there as well. And Barb – there are days when I am definitely singing out of your songbook!
Readers: What keeps you keeping on?
I am like Edith about doing a daily, long (solo) walk, or sometimes a group walk to vent and laugh with a group of fun ladies. But waking up to 24C/75F (feeling like 30C/86F) at 4 am, I may have to do my walking inside today!
Signing on to comment on several blogs is part of my early morning routine and keeps me connected with the mystery fiction community.
My normal salvation, reading, is still sadly not back to normal. But I am reading and listening to books a bit, just more non-fiction than mystery fiction (which again is my usual preference, but it is working for me now).
And my edible balcony garden and cooking both new and familiar comfort foods has given me great pleasure this year.
Stay cool today, Grace!
It’s not fancy or inspirational but what keeps me going on is simply the need to pay bills. I get up, suffer through the indignity of having to go to work and deal with other people so I can get paid at the end of the week and pay the bills I have from my mostly uneventful life.
See, I told you, nothing fancy or inspirational. It is just the life of a non-lottery winning regular person. LOL.
And a reader, Jay – don’t forget that!
Thanks, it will be a scorcher all week long, Edith.
We love to bake and have done our fair share of it. However, with it being just the two of us our baking is somewhat limited or I’d be wider than tall in a very short time. Thankfully, hubby and I both love photography and live where daily critter visitors are frequent and varied.
When we built our dream home, we knew one thing we had to have was a big covered porch where we could sit any time of year in any weather. It was one of the things that remained on the list of wants during the whole planning time. It is also one of the features we enjoy the most – especially now with staying at home. When we need a break or change of routine, all we have to do is turn on the ceiling fans and head out on the porch. OUr many critter visitors keep us entertained and give us subject matter for our photo taking.
The porch is also a place where we have had some wonderful talks. Hubby and I have always had great communication, but with the hustle of life some of the good old fashion chatting time seemed to disappear. It’s been good to talk about the bad times, laughing while talking about the good times and enjoy our dreams for the future with each other.
Like I’m sure just about everyone, I have enjoyed my extra reading time as well. Most times, I’m once again on the porch while enjoying my books.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
That porch sounds like a dream, Kay.
“Keep on Keeping On” goes back a lot farther in time. My grandmother (born in 1896) and my mother (born 1907) used to say that. I adopted the phrase several years ago as the closing line of my Lyrical Pens blog. The reason? In this worldly life, getting old takes guts and grit, and I don’t want to give up. I’d like to be keeping on writing into my 90s like Mary Higgins Clark.
Awesome, Marilyn. I’d like to be, too!
Mostly it’s the need to get stuff done and, as Jay said, pay those bills – which now include college tuition for two. But a bag of potato chips never goes amiss!
I’ll say. We get two bags of Cape Cod potato chips every time we go to the store! The party-sized bags.
Thanks for sharing, ladies. Challenging times we live in, indeed. My writing is helping me keep on. It lets me forget about the real world for a while. Reading is another escape. As a matter of fact, I started Edith’s JUDGE THEE NOT this week. Loving it!
Wow, thanks JC! I’m delighted to hear that. Just in time for the next book, out in September…
Of course, reading is the ultimate escape when one has to stay home. I also always have a lot of little (and some not so little) TBDs. Like Jessie, I get a dopamine hit whenever I cross off an item from my list. And I found a new addiction – computer paint-by-numbers. I always thought it would be a really stupid, easy way to waste time, but I have discovered that it can be challenging. It stimulates by discernment of shapes and colors, makes me practice a lot of patience, and encourages my determination to finish any project. We truly are never too old to learn.
That’s amazing, Ginny. I’ll have to check it out. Oh, the satisfaction of checking something off a list is never to be underestimated!
As I have continued working, just from home, the knowledge that I’ll be at my computer from 7am til 4pm M-F helps to keep me motivated. Also I walk every morning with a friend at my 10am break. Evenings are saved for reading with the caveat that I must complete one chore before hand – whether a load of laundry, a big cook that I can freeze into several meals, housework or packing a box for donation. The fact that sports are very cautiously starting again also helps with feeling a bit more normal.
Whatever helps, Mary! Glad you continue to have a job.
Reading has been my escape and coping mechanism, so thank you to all the writers who have kept me sane. I’m getting out and running as well. Work has been a mixed blessing. I’m working from home, and that has kept me busy and focused. In some ways, like doesn’t feel that different. However, there have been massive layoffs at work (I survived), but now work is adding stress since I have to do more work.
Sorry for the extra work, Mark, but I’m glad you still have a job. And that you are running!
Hi, what keeps me keeping on is Hope. Hope that this too shall pass. I love to stay busy in my garden and I love our morning walks with my husband, our pup and sometimes our 2 grandchildren that live a couple of blocks away from us. I love listening and admiring God’s creation, I also stay in touch with my siblings and my 2 now grown children every day. Have a Great rest of the week and stay safe.
Knowing that you all are waiting on my reviews (as soon as I get the unread emails [now down to 14,952] under control, I promise)…