The 100-Day Writing Challenge: My First Setback and Takeaways
I skipped two days.
I have experienced my first challenge since I started the 100-day writing challenge. After I posted on the 10th day, I didn’t post for two consecutive days.
I spent the weekend planning my travel to my hometown. I chose to take a bus ride this time and it was a comfy 11-hour ride to home.
I made a detour at a friend’s before going on to finish my journey to a very cold Central Kenya.
With all the arrangements I took a break from writing and for a while I felt guilty.
Early the next morning, I received an offer from a client and turned it down. I was still travelling and I knew I wouldn’t give my best to the project.
After a few hours, I managed to get rid of the guilt and enjoy my break.
Things don’t always go as planned. You can beat yourself up when things don’t go you way or you can find the silver lining in your mishappening.
Here are a three takeaways I gathered from my first setback.
1. Allow flexibility in your schedule.
This will help you minimize stress when you experience a setback. In turn, you will have an easier time navigating through the setback.
2. Take a minute
It is easy to be caught up in the emotions when your plans don’t go as expected and rush through to compensate for lost time.
Don’t. Take a minute to determine the best way to navigate through your setback.
You are more likely to make bad decisions when your judgement is clouded by emotions.
3. Make the best of your time
The period between your situation and a solution still part of your time. Use it wisely.
You can spend it sulking in self-pity or you can find the next best or productive thing to do.
I could have spent my time beating myself up for not taking that opportunity, but instead I chose to enjoy every minute of my travel and re-connected with people I hadn’t seen for along time.
If your situation allows you to take time from your work and focus on other parts of your life, take that chance and make the best out of it.
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