On Taking a Break

I have been practicing aikido, a non-violent Japanese martial art, for over five years. Thanks to work, family, and adopting an active dog, my four-times-a-week regular practice has crumbled over the last few months. And I felt terrible about it.

My first stab at a solution was to train through it, as they say. I accepted a position on the board (our dojo is a non-profit), thinking more responsibility would bring me back to a regular practice. Didn’t work. I also upped my practice to five days a week for a few weeks, until the American Society of Journalists and Authors conference in New York at the end of April. Also didn’t work — a family emergency intervened the first week of April.

So I have decided to flow like water and take a break from practice to attend to family, friends, dog, and — most crucially — new work projects. My to-do list is long and full of stuff I’m excited about:

• I’ve got a non-fiction book proposal to shop around
• I’ve got a novel to finish
• I’ve got an idea for a new blog
• I’ve got a bunch of fresh ideas to pitch to print magazines
• I’ve got NWAPA‘s Mudfest SUV/CUV competition to organize
• I’ve got time to attend more literary events around town
• I’ve got a hankering to try out a once-weekly dance class
• I’ve got evenings free to spend with friends and family

So break seems to be a relative term.