I’m actually not writing about body image this week—in this case, HIPS is an acronym I just got introduced to: it stands for Home Improvement Projects. And I’m about to explain to you why the joy of HIPS matters to you.
Last week I was sweating my writing work. I went through creating and editing a second draft of Book 2 of the Piper Pan and Her Merry Band series.
I told a friend I would be taking this week off, diving into 3 home improvement projects involving cleaning, repainting, and resealing various items. My friend responded that she’d rather be writing than facing the dreaded HIPS! I told her HIPS would be mild after the writing week I had.
Why is this of any use to you? When your chin is sagging and your butt is dragging, change is called for! Because one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and one woman’s pain is another woman’s play. What may not appeal in one context, has incredible advantages in another.
The moral of today’s story is to take a look at the dreaded list of things you “should” do. I bet you’ll find something on there that will be a refreshing change from the challenge you’re currently chewing on!
The HIPS at hand are hard, backbreaking projects. But I get to move around instead of sitting in front of the computer, and I get to accomplish something tangible. These HIPS will clearly be finished, and clearly be improvements—which are not qualities I can apply to the ever-evolving nature of writing a book. You can’t always tell if it’s better, and it seems like it’s never done!
As I discovered in The River Thrive program, it’s all about flow. If your energy is clogged up, you need more outflow. Things like HIPS are opportunities for lots of energetic outflow. Once all that “release” happens, there will be room for more “inflow,” more inspiration, and I’ll be able to happily get back to my writing.
Coach’s Challenge: Feeling stuck? Despondent? Overwhelmed? Choose an activity that allows energetic outflow: preferably something physical, perhaps something emotional. Get ‘er done! It will shift the scene for you, I promise! Leave a comment below—I’m always happy to know what my thoughts spark for you.
