Author Confessions: A Firm Foundation (Part III)

Nov3
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Author Confessions: A Firm Foundation (Part III)

Now that I’ve written about the solid need of a firm foundation for life and faith, I figured I should apply this to the craft of writing because it does have application here as well, and it’s good for readers and writers to understand this. You can read the previous two posts here and here. 

There are basic principles of writing that need to be adhered to, unfortuntately for an author, those sometimes change over time when it comes to grammar and style. I will still have people argue with me over not having two spaces between a period and the start of the next sentence but that changed a long time ago and I still sometimes unintentionally add that extra space out of habit.

Any writer needs to understand core principles of story telling, that is true, and they can vary depending on whether you are writing for the secular or Christian market. You can still have a perfectly written book that will not get contracted if the content is not saleable, redundant, offensive, or in the Christian market: theologically in error.

There is a wide variety of faiths out there though so how does an author navigate that? For instance, I had an author who approached me about a story where the female protagonist was a pastor. I told her that personally I had an issue with that and that so would my publisher. I’m not putting down female pastors by any means, but my understanding of Scripture makes that a hard thing to swallow. We brought in a literary agent to discuss the concept and he agreed that for the purpose of selling a novel, there were some markets that would not promote a book like that due to the theological differences between denomoniations. She would not want me as her editor if I had an issue with that.

That was also the reason I wouldn’t write Amish romances when my agent asked me to. “They sell!” She insisted. I told her that while I understood the popularity of Amish inspirational romances, I had a difficult time theologically with some of the Amish which can seem cultish to me. Now that I’ve learned how horrible they are with dogs in their puppy mills, the only way I’d write one would be as one exposing that kind of thing, not romanticizing that religion. I have two traumatized puppies who were going to be killed by the Amish: one didn’t produce enough pupplies and the other one they couldn’t sell. Both are sweet loving dogs who have enriched our lives and challenged us as we have navigated helping them heal from the abuses they endured.

So how does a writer navigate the wide range of denomoniations when writing a faith-based story?

  • Avoid naming any specific denomination.
  • Stay away from denominational practices that are not salvation related and potentially divisive (infant baptism, speaking in tongues to name a few).
  • Focus on the individual faith journey of the main characters sticking close to Scripture when possible even if you never cite a Bible verse.
  • Avoid promoting or glorifying any sinful behavior: drinking, murder, sex outside of marriage, swearing, drug use. That doesn’t mean those can’t be elements of a story or journey to Christ, but they cannot be viewed as desirable.

I need to also mention that authors themselves need to try to live a life that would glorify God. People are watching us and while many of the readers of my books may have never met me face to face, there are those who have, and I might meet some and have no idea that they have read my books and will be making sure I’m trying to live out the faith I write about, even if my characters are not real-life people.

There are authors who have gone astray and when it has become public, usually a more well-known person, their books have been pulled by their publisher and distributers. Not that this hasn’t happend in the Christian music industry as well.

This all goes back to my the original post where we need to be connected to other people lest we become a stumbling block, or an irritant to others. We live our lives best (and write best) when we engage in community.

It is also wise for readers to be evaluating the writing they are injesting. There are several non-fiction authors I will not read because of errors in their theology. Sure, they made lots of money and gained fame through their work, but that doesn’t mean they were theologically correct. I may not always get it right either so I’m not casting stones. We are all held accountable for how we handle the gospel that has been entrusted to us, whether we ever write a book or not. So be wise in all things and make sure you stand on the firm foundation of God’s Word in all you do.

I’ll keeping seeking to do that as well.

Author Confessions: A Firm Foundation (Part II)

Oct27
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Author Confessions: A Firm Foundation (Part II)

In my previous post I started musing about the physical building of a home and how that relates primarily to faith and the church. It was too long so I divided it up and am continuing it here. You can go back and read it here if you missed it.

I wrote about how certain things need to be added to a foundation (physical) as well as spiritual to make it solid and firm.

On the flip side, you can’t add things to faith as essential that God didn’t intend. You can’t add things that are not spelled out in Scripture as esssential to salvation. Issues like worship styles or whether you have drums or not are more the decorations in the house than they are the foundation.

We can get so hung up on things that are not essential that we miss the point that the church is to be unified which gives it strength and power to carry out it’s mission on this earth. How you want to dress it up is fine, but when you add to those foundational issues, it can weaken the foundation.

I’m being deliberately vague here because I don’t want to point out what I might perceive as thelogical flaws in some churches or denominations. We are currently searching for a church home, so it is essential for us to focus on the solid theology. Of course, there are a lot of other things that can bring down a home, or a church  that have nothing to do with the foundation, and those cracks as it were, or flaws in the building, are not so easily discernable.

We all need wisdom to build our faith, marriage, family and churches. Not just physically but spiritually.

On a lighter note, realize that it is the combination of elements (like Paul talking about parts of the body) that make up a house. We need all the parts. Not just rocks but also gravel and sand. However, even a tiny pebble in your shoe can irritate and cause a blister. A large rock in your path can become a stumbling block.

The church works best when it is bound together, strong and immovable, in Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit binding us together. When we think we can go it alone, we might be doing more damage than good.

So where are the cracks in your personal foundation of faith? How can you work to make that a firm foundation to live from?

 

Author Confessions: A Firm Foundation (Part I)

Oct20
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: A Firm Foundation (Part I)

We poured a foundation footing for our house two week ago and this past week we poured our walls. Underneath all of this is bedrock. Solid, immovable. Yet we still need to put stone of various sizes, foam, concrete, rebar in all of that to make sure our home will be sturdy and last for a long time. Especially with the footings, we would start with bigger rock, then smaller, and smaller and then it would be compressed with a machine that vibrates it all together into a compact solid surface.

It had me thinking about rocks. Odd, huh? We are building on a big solid rock but using smaller rocks. Some of the big chunks we removed because they truly were stumbling blocks as we worked. Yet we needed all the rocks, the big and the small to form a foundation. Concrete itself is made of limestone and clay and often has sand, iron, gypsum or shells or chalk added to the mix with water added. It is amazing how that can all form a rock-solid foundation, wall, and support for a house.

We can’t build on just the bedrock.

We also would be foolish to build on sand even though there is sand mixed in with much of that.

It had me thinking about a lot of different things:

  1. This scripture came to mind from Matthew 7: 24-27: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
  2. Our faith is built on major theological tenants. Martin Luther broke it down into five core basics.
    1. Scripture alone
    2. Faith alone
    3. Grace alone
    4. Christ alone
    5. To the Glory of God alone.
  3. Jesus broke down the Ten Commandments into two core principles: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 12:30-31a)

The church is made up of all kinds of parts but is built upon the bedrock of Jesus and what He did for us on the cross. For a “church” (meaning the people of God, not a physical structure) to stand strong it also needs all the other things mentioned above. They form the concrete. That means all of us have a part to play whether we are big rocks, river rock, gravel, or sand or a variety of other kinds of elements. God is amazing in that He can take all of our individual histories, heartaches, education, finances, giftedness, even our weaknesses and combine them together to be an immovable force in this world. The Holy Spirit would be that water that binds us all together.

OK. Imperfect analogy, but I appreciate you bearing with me. You  can’t build a house on sand alone. You can’t build a house on gravel alone. It needs a variety of parts to make the whole strong and complete–a firm foundation. The same is true for the church.

Stay tuned for next week when I dive a little deeper into this!

 

 

 

Author Confessions: When God Imposes Limits

Oct13
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Author Confessions: When God Imposes Limits

In a way I approached this topic when I talked about Emotional Bandwidth so you can check that out if you want, but I’m taking a different approach this time.

We often are told to reach for high and lofty goals. As kids we are told the lie that “You can be anything you want!” It’s a way to encourage creativity and pursuing dreams and passions but the reality is, rising to the top of anything is often part passion, calling, incredibly hard work, and innate ability.

We often focus on the hard work part of things. If you do A, B, and C, you can reach your goal. Reality is that I cannot do any of that on my own volition no matter how much I power through. I need God! Two people can do all the same things with different results because sometimes life intervenes, doesn’t it?

Something simple as taking a vacation to a lovely island resort is foiled  by a broken arm (me two years ago–and we still haven’t gone!). Pursuing a degree but health, or finances, or the inability to grasp the material can keep someone from going that next step.

I’m not talking about making excuses. Many people have overcome amazing challenges or disabilities to accomplish great things: Joni Earekson Tada (paralysis), or Nick Vujicic (no arms or legs), or even Temple Grandin (autism), have overcome, adapted and pursued amazing things. Disability, physical or even mental differences didn’t stop them. Ben Carson never let his skin color or a childhood family distubances and finanical challenges prevent him from going on to be a neurosurgeon and serving as the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

It’s easy to make excuses and blame other people or events for our inabilty to reach our goals. Slammed doors due to no fault of our own can keep a person from reaching their dream. Or send them on a better path. Sometimes the problems is within us.

The reality is, God tends to use ordinary people to carry out His plans, not just the rich, famous, highly educated, or incredibly talented. Yes, they have a role to play as well, but if your plumber had chosen to teach Philosophy at a college somewhere, who is going to fix your leaking faucet?

Our value is not found in accomplishing big, grand, things for God. A small church of faithful followers is just as important to the kingdom as a large one.

Not every book can be a best-seller no matter how much marketing experts give a formula for how to write it, get it published, and market it. My writing will never be the same as other authors I admire. There are those who love the stories I write. I write first for God.

My thought is this. We, as those who love and worship Jesus Christ, follow Him first. Anything we do, including honoring Him, is only viable through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within. When I try, on my own strength, I will likely fail or miss something greater that God wants to do in and through me. He’s the One who opens and closes doors. He’s the One who provides opportunties and may even lead in a direction I hadn’t originally considered. I didn’t aim to be an author when I was in college, or even as a kid. That wasn’t the dream I had for myself, and even then the dream wasn’t what I went to college for because I was practical and discouraged from following that.

But God. I love those words. But God. He is the One who works in and through us to accomplish HIS purposes. Not ours. No lofty ambition. My value and worth doesn’t need that kind of validation–or scrutiny.

I used to serve in leadership in church and taught theology and leadership classes to women. I loved every minute. For years we led a small group in our home and they became family. Now that we’ve moved, we’re searching for a church. My hands are open, palms empty, waiting for God to show us where we are to be. The way He wants to use us in a new family might be different, because the needs of that church might be different and God gifts and calls according to HIS purposes within that church community. We serve others, not ourselves. I need to let go of any sense of entitlement to do the stuff I’ve done before. In a larger church especially, we become a small fish. God may call us to one of those or something medium or small. We’ll see. Someone asked if we were chuch “shopping,” and I said no. We are looking for our home. Our family. God has to make that clear to both my husband and myself. It’s a long process.

I started out talking about God’s limitations because while God opens doors, He sometimes provides detours. That broken arm didn’t prevent any vacation, but a different one where we got to witness to a young man over lunch. I found out that last week I had a concussion so my days are looking different as I navigate healing. In the process, I’ve been able to meet more of my neighbors and share some of the bounty from the Hmongs who farm on our land. I love vegetables but we can only eat so much, so we share with others. Sharing food involves conversations as we listen and get to know those who live around us. We are here in this apartment for a season, but that season can still be rich with seeds planted.

Where or how have you found God imposing limits on you?

 

Author Confessions: Smiling Depression

Oct6
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: Smiling Depression

I haven’t written about depression for some time and for those who don’t deal with it, it can be hard to explain how it can hit for no particular reason.

When a doctor first suggested I had depression, I told her I didn’t. I decided to make a chart with a line in the center and for a month marked my moods for the day above the line (happy) or  below (sad) or maybe even right on the line – neither. When I finished I returned to my doctor and agreed to try medication. Medication helped a lot.

When I told my pastor who was also my boss at the time, he said, “Nah, you don’t have depression.” And many people who would know me would be surprised because I don’t go moping around.

A depressed person may not appear depressed. We’ve learned over time that many people don’t care if you’re down and we  can’t always explain why. Instead we smile.

Circumstances can lead to depression. When your car dies, and you lose your job and the rent is due, that helplessness can become depression. When the situations resolve themselves the depression eases.

Getting stuck in grief is a complicated thing because depression, and all kind of emotions swirl around with memories, regrets, and helplessness. We can’t bring that person back. The loss can be deep and hard to move past. However, that sadness doesn’t need to stay all-consuming although it can sure mess us up for a while.

Depression is not caused by a lack of faith, however, willful, sinful choices can result in depression as inside we know these things are a violation of God’s plan for us. Confessing our sin to God (and others when appropriate) and changing our ways can help. We have a gracious and forgiving God.

Smiling depression is more covert. A smile covers the interior. That is hard to fix if one doesn’t have a compassionate, understanding person willing to listen and validate the pain. To encourage–not fix. Medication and therapy can help. Even with a degree in counseling and life going generally well, I still see my therapist on a regular basis. I’m not fond of the copays but it is an investment in myself and helps in all areas of my life. Depression, anxiety, stress can contribute to other health issues so talking with someone who knows me and can encourage or help me see things differently, helps.

When I’m depressed I write in my journal. I pray. I try to sing. I hug my dog a little tighter (he’s not a fan of that but he puts up with me!). I acknowledge the depression (even if only to myself and God) and try to not let myself simmer and stew in it. I give myself permission to cry. Making plans to be with others even if I’d rather curl up and sleep, helps too. Helping someone, listening to them, can also help. I’ve learned that when depression hits, I am not without tools to help me get through the darkness.

Of course, that depends on how dark it is.

I stay in God’s word daily to help me keep focused on the One who loves me. I love the Psalms because David went through periods of depression too and poured out his heart and helplessness to the One who created and called him. He often turned to praising that very same God who walks through the darkeness with us.

Depression can hit from any angle and sadness doesn’t need to stay forever. I remind myself of this truth: This too shall pass.

When I was free from an destructive marriage, many people came up to me and told me that I looked happier. Stress, helplessness, depression, all dimmed that smile but it wasn’t noticeable until those things had passed. Only those who know me really well can tell when the smile doesn’t reach my eyes.

Some people struggle much worse than I do, but the reality is, we all struggle with things at times and those burdens are not always shared online. Sometimes the most devestating ones are, or the high points. The reality is, most of us live somewhere in between. Be kind to everyone as often as you can, because you simply don’t know what they’re going through behind the smile.

 

Author Confessions: Be Who God Created You to Be

Sep29
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Author Confessions: Who God Created You to Be

In light of events in the past few weeks there has been a lot of focus on one man. His videos are being watched by millions and many want to use his name as a calling card and a rallying cry. This is not a post about that man, or any man.

It is amazing what some people accomplish in this world. People can be so amazing. We can point to great parenting, deep faith, dizzying intellect or any other number of things to explain why someone would be so polarizing and inspiring all at the same time.

Here’s the truth. God called you to be you.

Your journey on this earth will be uniquely yours.

It’s nice to look up to people and admire them but the reality is our only focus should be on Jesus, God the  Father, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit within those of us who claim to be His redeemed children.

Any little thing we do can have a ripple effect through eternity and we may never know what that impact will be. If you’ve never read The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews, check it out at the library. It’s a short read but inspiring. He also has a children’s book called The Kid Who Changed the World which has similar content.

While some people seem to be having an impact due to number of followers on social media or a blog, how many watch an interview on television or a podcast… the reality is, we can never fully know that impact and to do any of that to seek numbers, followers, or money, is a vain and foolish goal.

When we sold our house I asked our realtor if it was unusual to have so many showings so quickly. She said, “Yes, at your price point this is unusual, but you only need one right buyer.”

Just one. We did and he loves the house.

If I spent years working on a manuscript between writing, revising, editing, pitching, revising again, editing, submitting to a publisher, contracting, editing, editing, editing, marketing and trying to get that book out, how many people will make those hundreds or maybe thousands of hours of work worth it? f I’m trying to be compensated fairly for my time the number would be quite high.

If I’m writing the stories God tells me to write, then the true answer is: the right reader who needs that story. Five hundred people could read it but it might be one person who needed that story to take that next step of faith. That has eternal value.

An author sat down to pitch a story to me at a writer’s conference and she started out by saying, “I know you don’t like Amish fiction, but…” I stopped her. “You knew I didn’t want that yet you’re here to pitch it? Why did you write Amish fiction?” She said she wrote it because it sells well. That was true at the time and even my agent wanted me to write Amish romances, but I refused for a variety or reasons that maybe I’ll write about another time. I told her that as a Christian author she should write the stories God tells her to write, not just what will sell.

Why does obedience and faith need to be tied to a price tag or a quantity of people validating it?

This post is not about any big name who died doing what God called them to do. It’s not about any well known person who is getting attention in this world. Yes, their lives matter.

Don’t compare yourselves to them or try to be anything other than who God created you to be. It’s a reminder to me as well. My journey is my journey and it has at times been unconventional, but I’ve always sought God’s leading through the Holy Spirit along the way. Have I obeyed flawlessly? No. None of us can. But I’m still here and I’m still trying to be who He needs me to be, which is ME and no one else, using the unique gifts, calling, and opportuinities as they present themselves, for HIS glory and not my own.

Don’t focus on a big name or someone who seems popular. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, and be exactly who God created you to be. Let God take care of the rest.

Oliver’s Opinion: Love in a Lifeboat (Book Review)

Sep26
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Oliver’s Opinion: Love in a Lifeboat (Book Review)

It is fun when you read a series of books where people from previous stories get their own happily-ever-after. This is the case with Love in a Lifeboat, a sweet inspirational romance by Karen Malley.

Jan Richardson was a secondary character in a few previous stories by Karen Malley and now she get’s her shot at happiness. She’s an independent woman, smart, has no need for the God her friends embrace as real. She isn’t at all jealous of the love those friends have found. She doesn’t need any of that as her company is sending her on a two week cruise. Anything could happen!

The down side is another employee will also be on the cruise and they will be competing to come up with the best ad campaign foir the cruise company. Kyle has Jan’s last name but they are not related. He’s a good looking man but a serial dater, not the kind of guy she’d be interested in. He’d definitely not have anything to do with her anyway.

Kyle loves God. He’s excited about the cruise but has some misapprehensions about his coworker Jan. He figures he can avoid her and work on his campaign and have some fun at the same time.

Event’s make this difficult when the cruise company accidently decided they were husband and wife and assigned them a cabin together. Jan figures it’s no big deal but Kyle can’t sleep in the same room with her due to his faith.

Kyle begins to fall for Jan but she’s not a Christian. An older couple on the cruise take Kyle and Jan under their wings and adventure abounds. Not only with a lifeboat but something about rubber duckies? You’ll need to read it to find out.

A storm, misunderstandings, and past choices rise up to created all kinds of obstacles to any future happiness between these two but God has a plan all along.

My mom loved reading Love in a Lifeboat and I get snuggles when she reads a good book so I suggest you go out and get it. I’ve never been on a cruise but it sounds like fun if it is anything like what these two encountered. I’ll give this five bones, because I’m a dog and that’s what I do.

Author Confessions: Emotional Bandwidth

Sep22
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: Emotional Bandwidth

The other day I found myself saying to my husband, “I don’t have the emotional bandwidth for that today. Maybe some other time.”

The heat and the weeks of moving stress finally hit me at that point and I had to say: No.

I’m sure if I pushed myself I could have done more. But that might have caused more problems for me. The heat, the hard work, the stress. I was done.

Emotional bandwidth is a new term for me. I’m not sure how I learned it, but it makes sense. Internet gets slow when there’s not enough “bandwidth”  for the data to get through. We have a limited capacity for stress when it hits all areas of our being.

The same is true when our mental, physical, and emotional capacities are depleted. For the past two weeks I’d been dealing with headaches that just wouldn’t go away. Stress? Did I over do things physically causing misalignment in my neck and upper back? I don’t know but until I could find the time to research and then call to get into a chiropractor (and a new massage therapist) I wasn’t functioning at my peak.

I’ve been trying to balance the need to rest and recharge with the demands that come at me from all angles. It can be paralyzing. I’m blessed with dear friends who I can reach out to and who pray for me and offer words of encouragement even if they are 50 or 1,287 miles away. The blessings of the internet can keep us close. Two of my dear friends only just moved themselves so they have a deeper appreciation for the stresses that go along with that.

I remember learning about looking at aspects of your life from the perspective of a fuel gauge. Unfortunately the car needs more than fuel to run optimally. The oil needs to be clean and filled, the tires need to be inflated to the appropriate psi, wires need to connect, the starter must work, the battery in the key fob is now a concern that wasn’t twenty years ago.

We are more complex than a vehicle, even a brand new one with so many electronic, digital componants you need a master’s degree to be able to use them all.

I’ve been on this planet long enough, you think I’d have a good understanding of myself. I’m still learning. I’m grateful to a God who not only created me but understands parts of who I am that I don’t yet know about. Part of the issue for all of us, hopefully, is that we are growing and changing as we age, and hopefully that maturity helps us understand ourselves more completely. As we grow and change the world also changes around us and there is adaptation everywhere.

I’ve long had a discipline of time with God, reading Scripture and writing it down to help me slow my brain down and focus, and writing out my thoughts, feelings, and prayers. It helps but life can still be overwhelming. Slowing down, giving myself grace, even permission to cry when it becomes too much, is all healthy. And necessary.

Especially when events in the world can also throw one’s emotions into chaos. Grief, sorrow, horror all take a toll, whether we know a person impacted or not.

I think God sometimes takes us to the brink so we realize we can’t do it on our own and we desperately need Him. I’ve been seeking Him all along on this journey, however, it’s easy for that focus to slip.

I finally saw a chiropractor and my headaches disappeared. I got a new massage therapist and I’m sure that will help my body as I recover from the past few months of stress. Time with God daily helps as well as saying “no” when appropriate.

That can be difficult. I’ve had immediate reactions where I wanted to say NO but God led me to say yes and I was incredibly blessed. Sometimes I jump before seeking Him, and NO is likely to be a better default right now as I seek to find my way in a new community, search for a new church, and develop new relationships here.

Have you experienced issues with your emotional bandwidth and been forced to make adjustments? How has that worked out for you? What helps you protect your emotional bandwidth?

 

 

Author Confessions: It’s the Little Things (Part V)

Sep15
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Author Confessions: It’s the Little Things (Part V)

I am making the little things big things, aren’t I? Five posts on this from various angles? I hope this will be the last but who knows, there are so many little things!

This post is more of a wrap up from the previous four so if you haven’t read them, check them out.

I’m giving you a few little questions that might help you clarify the little things. So if you have a few moments to ponder these, it might help. I’m going to be journaling mine because writing helps me slow my brain down.

Slowing down to focus on the little things can make a big difference. I hope this helps you.

  • What is one little thing God did for me today, for which I can be grateful?
  • What little thing did I do today that will set me up for success tomorrow with all that’s on my plate?
  • What little thing can I do to make someone else’s day better?
  • What little thing is holding me back from achieving a goal, drawing closer to God, or overcoming something I’m dealing with?
  • What little thing do I think God would like to help me change in myself?

I realize all of these are little things, but they can make a big difference. I’m a big picture person but am growing, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to focus on the little things.

Author Confessions: It’s The Little Things (Part IV)

Sep8
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: It’s The Little Things (Part IV)

I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder – Inattentive Type only a few years ago. Did I always have this or was this a result of years of chronic trauma that tripped me up when I was suddenly in a safe and peaceful, (aka amazingly safe) environment. Maybe it was a combination of it all. Medication and therapy make a huge difference as I continue to heal.

I had a son with ADHD so I thought I understood a lot about this, but I didn’t. I’ve learned that breaking tasks down into little steps (it’s the little things) makes it easier for me to get things done and I’ve even using an app on my phone to help track all those and give me a little boost every time I check it off my list. (Finch) While that is a self-care app, it helps reward me better than my lists that were never perfect enough so I would shred them and write them all over again.

Henry Cloud has of this in one of his books as well. Some tasks can seem huge, but breaking them down into smaller chunks can make it easier to get done. This works whether it is getting through a graduate thesis to moving from one house to another or cleaning your kitchen,

It seems basic and simple but hypervigilence made breaking down everything into little tasks unnecessary in my past, although I would still drag my feet to do chores I dislike. Breaking down a task into smaller chunks was something I did with my son but I’d never needed that before for myself. I guess anxiety and trauma had a bonus. The problem resulted when that was no longer there and my brain didn’t understand what to do! It was the fuel that propelled me and I was running on empty.

How does this work? Take a task, like laundry. I tell myself a little lie that folding and putdting away clothing will take sooo long. This was never an issue when I went to a laundromat but the convenience of having a washer and dryer can allow for laziness. Using a laundromat you have to sort, wash, dry and fold the clothes and then you put them away when you take them out of the basket when you get back home. At home? I can dump it all in a basket and walk away.

Now I’ve timed myself on this HUGE task of folding clothes and putting them away. Probably fifteen minutes since it’s just my husband and myself. Still, breaking down the tasks like this: wash clothes, dry clothes, fold clothes, put away clothing. Whether I was doing this on paper and putting a line through each item I accomplished or checking it off on the app, either way it helps. I had done this to help me drink water. I’ve added my steps to the app getting to check off every 1,000 steps I take during a day. I even had to increase the number from 6,000 to 10,000! Mostly because I have so many more tasks to do right now that has kept me moving more than ever before without “taking a walk.”

Using an app and other small tricks help me be more productive. It’s the little things, like even making a task a game or setting a timer, that can help me to keep moving and get something done. I will often do a less favorable task before I take on one I like better.

There are a lot of issues with ADHD, but I’ve found that sometimes it is the little things that can make a difference in me having a productive day, especially when there are more tasks to do than can possibly be done.

I do allow myself grace. If I cannot accomplish my long list of things I can reschedule them for a future date so I don’t forget about them. I rarely have an issue remembering to do most things but when life is crazy tasks can slip through the cracks. I’m working hard to avoid that but not beating myself up if it happens.

Sometimes paying attention to the little things is hard because we rush through our days with our to do list. Sometimes the biggest little thing is taking time to pause, be silent, and experience the moment. The little things are easier to notice then.