On my last post, I revisited an older blog about “Taking Action” and how I’m carrying that idea through to now.

Today, I’m revisiting another old post, and giving an update on how I’m doing with taking action.

Words from the Past: The Daily Decision

You know those times when you’re reading a blog post or a meme and something just jumps out at you and smacks you in the face. It’s happened to me a couple of times. (Hmmm… I need to put all of those sayings together so I can remember what smacked me in the face).

Anyway, I had words smack me again today. I was reading a blog about being a writer and the challenges that can be faced with choosing a writing career (check out the post on Seekerville by Debby Giusti).

Debby said that you have to make a decision to write. Talk about words leaping off the page: you have to choose. You have to make the decision. Such a simple thing, but somehow it smacked me. Have I really made the decision to pursue writing? If so, then it’s a choice DAILY to sit down and write.

I think that’s true with most things in life. You have to choose.

If I really want to pursue a career in writing, I have to make the decision every day to put words on a page.

If I want to blog regularly (ahem!), then I have to choose to think of topics and again, put the words on the page.

If I want to get healthy and lose weight, then I have to choose to exercise or go to the gym. I have to make the decision to eat healthier.

Don’t get me wrong, I know things can happen that can totally derail your daily choices. I’ve had cancer twice, so I get that. I’ve been derailed! But when events happen that change your path, then you still make a choice of how you’re going to handle interruptions to your regular schedule. What will be your next decision?

To accomplish most things in life, you have to make the decision to do it. Then do it. It’s a daily decision and a daily choice.

Words from the Present: Decide and Do it!

I can see why I was so inspired when I wrote this post. You have to choose. Derailments still happen (I’m now a 3-time cancer survivor), but you have to make the decision to get back up and try again.

A couple of weeks ago I talked about creating a new habit. I was going to take action, get up earlier, and focus on my writing. It was time for a set schedule. How am I doing with this new schedule?

I’d give myself a B- or C+. It’s been hard. But the thing I thought would be the most difficult, getting up early, hasn’t been as tough as I thought it would be. Because I’m getting up with a purpose. I always claimed not to be a morning person, and I’m not, really, but to get up and know I’m supposed to be at my desk with my novel-in-progress open and ready to work has motivated me. That’s the good part.

The part that I continue to struggle with is I’m still going to bed too late. I can be such a night owl. There are times when I’m so tired at 7:00pm and could fall asleep then and there, but by 10:00pm, I have a second wind and am ready to go. Even when I get to bed at a decent hour, I can still be awake with my nose in a book until it’s really late.

No, I’m not going to stop reading before I go to sleep. That’s the only time of day I read for pleasure. But I do need to close the book by a certain time.

So, where do I go from here? That’s where today’s older post comes in. I have to make the decision, not only to get up earlier in the morning, but also to go to bed at a reasonable hour, so I get enough sleep and am not dragging all day.

Make the decision, then take action. It’s that simple, yet that difficult.

But I’m still trying. If I want this bad enough, I’ll make it work. Make the decision. Take action.

What about you? Any tips to share on changing habits? How about success stories when you’ve taken action?

Let’s encourage one another.