One day at a time acknowledges the notion of living in and for the now.
The unfortunate reality of my art, presently, is that it’s not paying me a living wage. I am working on improving this – which is part of why I’ve published 6 new novels this year.
However, I am an adult with bills to pay. As much as I am striving to make my writing be my primary income – as of this writing, it’s not yet.
So, I have taken on some part-time work.
The first job is doing executive assistant work for an incredible creative entrepreneur. The second is copywriting for another amazing creative entrepreneur.
Both jobs are not just aligned with my skillset – but the kind of work I like to do. This is excellent – since one of the reasons I strive to write full-time is to be able to do work I love.
Crazy, right? Doing a job you like? Who does that?
It should, frankly, be everyone. But that’s a whole other matter.
The trouble is – while I am enjoying the gigs I’ve taken on – my writing has fallen off.
I set a daily goal for myself to put 1500 words of fiction a day into something. That can be worldbuilding, the outline for a novel, writing a book, or anything of the like related to fiction.
Maintaining my nonfiction writing schedule has been easy. Yet when I don’t meet my goal for fiction writing – it can start a downward spiral I really don’t need.
This is why I am reminding myself that I can only do it one day at a time.
Yesterday isn’t today
Perhaps, yesterday, I got no fiction writing in.
Hell, maybe I only wrote fiction on one day last week.
I recognize and acknowledge that this is frustrating. Come on, why in the hell am I not doing my work?
Questioning this over and over is pointless. Why? Because yesterday isn’t today.
The past has passed us by. Done. Over. It cannot be undone nor redone or otherwise changed. It is, it was, and that’s that.
True, lessons from the past can (and often should) be learned. But apart from that? We can only work in the here-and-now.
Yesterday isn’t today. Thus, today is a new start. And by being in the now and working one day at a time to get my shit done – I can acknowledge my failure and start fresh.
As the sun set on yesterday, it signaled the approaching conclusion of the day. When I called it a night and climbed into bed – that was when I brought the day to an end.
When I awoke today – and climbed out of bed – that started everything anew. The reset is complete. And now it’s time to do what I need/desire to do today.
Perhaps yesterday I got it wrong. Maybe I failed to do my work for a few days. That was then. This is now. One day at a time – and that begins with today.
One day at a time starting today
While on the one hand, this concept is deceptively simple – on the other, it’s got some challenges.
First and foremost – culturally. This is not a culture where we live in the now and work in the present much at all. Constantly, there are reminders of the past made present and attempts to return to times that have been idealized via nostalgia that never was. For example – the simpler times of the nuclear family models of the 1950s or the start of the modern extreme consumerism of today in the 1980s.
And then – because that doesn’t cause enough confusion – we’re frequently looking forward. The next great program, technology, opportunity, and what-have-you for tomorrow. This, that, or the other thing will improve when you have X, Y, or Z in the future.
This is not conducive to being in the now at all. And because of it, whole days get ignored, skipped, disregarded, and lessened in the name of what was or what is to be.
But every single day is new. Every day is unique. And life only truly unfolds one day at a time.
The best time to start recognizing and working with this is right now. This is why I am reminding myself and sharing this with you. One day at a time is the only way I can live – because today, this moment, is the only reality that’s real.
What if I forget to live one day at a time?
If I get caught up in nostalgia or hopes and desires for the future – that can and will take my focus off of living one day at a time.
But that’s okay. Because every single day I get to make that choice.
Maybe I only reached my writing goal once last week. While I could berate myself, become distraught, get upset, or otherwise take a negative view of this – why? Will doing so undo it? Redo it? Change it? NO.
Instead, I need to recognize it, acknowledge it – and let it go. Life only unfolds one day at a time – so every new day I choose anew.
This can feel intimidating to some people. I get that. But what if it’s the greatest gift of all?
Change is the one and only constant in the entire Universe. Every single new day reflects this fact. Sun goes up, sun goes down. New. Changing. Yesterday is not today and today is not tomorrow.
The only time that is really real is now. The present. This moment. But when we work with that – whatever art we do – it’s incredibly empowering. And freeing.
That’s why I am sharing this idea. Because I need to remind myself that I am only human and make mistakes.
One day at a time is a great way to approach the art I do. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem so easy. One day at a time acknowledges the notion of living in and for the now. That’s still the best way to work to be the best version of me that I can be.
Will I continue to remember to live today – and stay focused on one day at a time?
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