I was recently watching a Youtube video from one of my favorite authors. She was describing how she does her research. She tends to engage, have conversations, take notes, roll around in it, as it were. Once she is finished, she holes herself away.  She stops talking to people. She skips her exercise routine.  She all but stops meditating. I found myself really relating to this idea and a light went off in my head. “That’s it!”, I thought. “That’s what would make me a successful author: stopping all else, focusing, getting ‘er done.”

So I began doing little else in the week leading up to creating this blog. I spent hours researching my platform choices, comparing costs, postponing my daily time on the treadmill. And I was getting things done. However, I felt a growing tightness in my shoulders. I started getting headaches on and off over the span of a couple of days. Even though I loved the idea of what I could create and was excited about the expansive feeling I get when I create something and share it, it was all starting to make me miserable. Finally, it got to be too much.   I thought, “Okay, an exercise break really is in order.” But even the thought of pushing myself to get on the treadmill felt like more pressure coming down on me.

So instead I decided to take a nap. I headed for my microsuede Euro-styled all-in-one modern futon and got into my preferred napping position.  On my side, with my favorite Indian pillow under my head I pulled a quilt over me and let the cat curl up behind my knees. I drifted off quickly, but not for long as I heard my phone dinging telling me either I had a text or was supposed to remember to do something. But I had successfully fallen asleep and dissolved all that tension. I decided to stay curled up for a minute or two just fully appreciating how good a nap can feel. Being warm and under the covers on a grey snowy January day in the Midwest. Now I was ready for the treadmill and the computer. I was back, energized, centered and happy to be alive, getting ready to do something good and actually feel good in the process. Before I made it into the workout room I realized, ” Hey, I don’t need to copy someone else to be successful. I just need to do what I think is next and what I feel is right. I headed upstairs and I finished my workout.  Then I sat down at my computer, created my blog and wrote this post. The fact is when I take the time to get clear and ask myself that important question, “What’s next?” I already know what to do and the order in which to do it. And so do you.