Hello team,
This month I found myself sympathising with every teacher who had the misfortune of marking my assessments as I found myself making similar comments:
“Too many careless mistakes.”
“Easily distracted.”
“Would do better if checked her work.”
“Needs to try harder.”
Whilst agreeing wholeheartedly with the first three, I always pushed back against the last. It wasn’t a matter of needing to try harder because, as I have since learned, I am living with ADHD. Since being handed this revelation, I have found that I am, in fact, ticking all the boxes. I am doing everything right. I am a classic ADHDer. Go team! This revelation revolutionised my life as now things make sense. I understand, I’m not all wrong, I am actually, alright.
Swearing Oaths
However, all of the good feels aside, it didn’t help me with this last book. I swear (by that I mean I take an oath—although I confess the internal dialogue hasn’t been pretty) that this book was THE hardest to get across the line. It was originally scheduled for the 30th December. Then rescheduled for 15th Jan… 20th Jan… 30th Jan…. But, because I made SO MANY mistakes, it pushed the release date of the paperback till just yesterday, 6th Feb.
In the big scheme of things, this is irrelevant. So what? Right? My husband it often reminding me that because I mostly work for myself, my deadlines are flexible. And he is right (#livingwithmralwaysrightisnotalwaysfun). But when I am trying to be professional, and successful (by that I mean… sustainable), and reliable, I would like to meet my deadlines.
This whole process (and the other things occuring in parallel universes of my life) once again proved perfect opportunity for prayer. Not only was I asking for HELP… PLEASE HELP ME…. I was asking for wisdom, perspective and stamina. And, as I have come to expect (from years of constant evidence) God came through. Here are some of the things I have learned this time round:
Lessons Learned
1. I am not, nor am I expected to be, perfect
2. Despite the dumpster fire that is my desk:
a. God is still God
b. the world will go on
c. things are being produced
3. There are things that HAVE to happen at certain times, there are things that ARE flexible
4. I now have the knowledge to put strategies in place to improve outcomes (if I don’t get distracted by deep diving down rabbit warrens chasing dopamine and reems of useless information)
5. I am not alone — God is with me ALL THE TIME, and He has provided a community to surround and support me.
6. I love what I do
7. There are others out there (who are very loving and patient and awesome) who also love what I do
8. To lift my eyes and remember to look at the big picture
9. To laugh a bit and take the time to check the roses still smell like roses
10. I am NOT careless, I do NOT need to work harder. I AM easily distracted. I DO need to check my work. I AM living with ADHD—which also has a pretty incredible upside.
How about you? Are you someone living with neurodivergency? How do you find it impacts your work/life/sanity?
In other news.
- I have redone the cover of Book 2 (see below)
- Hard copies of book 5 are on their way to my house
- I ran THE MOST awkward poetry workshop in December – I was told the participants were in upper primary. I prepared resources for that age group (10-12 years old). However, I had two year 1 students and two year 3 students. One of the Yr 3s refused to write anything, the other thought it was a pottery class, and the two year 1 students couldn’t read or write.
- The Somerset Writers Group has been in recess and we are starting up again tomorrow.
- My WriTri (Writing Trimester – Writing goal of 90 000 between Nov 1 and Jan 31) creating the messy first draft of Book 6 (Set in Thyatira) has come to the end and I am happy to report I met my goal and have a very messy draft of book 6. I am relieved to inform you it has the required beginning, middle and end. It will rest for a month to get over the shock of being dragged into the world kicking and screaming. In March, the sculpting will begin.
- School has started and all my year 7s came back for another year of the Extended Writers Program as yr 8s. The new Year 7s are currently applying for places
Enough about me, how has your 2025 kicked off?
db
Read on to find links to the month that was.
- From the Blog: Nothing this month
- Info about the books:You can find them all here. check out the new cover of bk 2 and bk 5
- Links to the podcast: yes, the Gracewriters podcast
- Bonus Content: The Phone Call – a short story
- Shots of the month: Photography, not weaponry
PS: All typos are my gift to you. They are evidence of an authentic, original newsletter, written with my own typo-prolific fingers : )
