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?