365 Inspirations—69: Still Blogging

"You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead."—George Lucas

 I guess my inspiration today is that I made it here at 11:11pm. It's been a challenge. It's the end of the quarter and I have over 60+ tests to grade. I can't wrap my head around all that I have to do in about ONE WEEK before I leave for Hawaii for a yoga retreat with my husband. More about that later.

So my inspiration today is that I'm here. I'm still blogging. That is inspiration enough.

I'd like to say that I have something amazing and phenomenal for you to read about today. I'd like to say that I was able to read all of your blogs and comment on them. The truth is, coming here tonight with one hour left in the day is about as inspirational as it is going to get. The fact that somehow I'm still blogging and have made it 69 days is remarkable in itself.

I'm still here and blogging, that IS the inspiration.

My hands are pressing keys right now. I'm typing and words are coming out. I'm writing, I'm blogging....I'm doing it.

The thing is, life isn't always phenomenal and amazing—or even that inspiring at times. Still, I try to find something that inspires me each day, even if it seems small.

I am going to try to take it moment by moment and I will get through this week. I will keep going and I will keep blogging here through it all!

Thanks for reading and commenting and please bear with me. This is what life is all about. It's about keeping at it, even through the tough, busy times. It's about sticking with things, even when you feel you are on the brink of throwing in the towel and running off somewhere never to be heard from again.

I'm still here. That's all I can say tonight.

Thanks for sticking with me friends!

Have you ever felt like throwing in the towel on something you've been doing because it just seems too hard? How did you keep going?

365 Inspirations—44: A Cup of Ginger Honey Tea

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."—Franklin Roosevelt

I'll be honest, last night I contemplated pulling the plug on my inspirations. Now that sentence has a double meaning, doesn't it? I've never been a quitter. Never.

I always find a way to complete or finish something I have committed myself to doing.

I remember the time I ran a half marathon in college. Half of the marathon was on the Washington Coast. The scenery was breathtaking, but it was very similar and there were times I felt like I was running in place with no end in sight. I'd look down at the sparkling sand and out at the ocean again and eventually I just fell into a rhythm. I was not the person running, I was part of all that I was seeing. When I took myself out of it, I actually finished the race happily.

When I wrote 365 lessons in 2010, I hit many walls. Blogging every single day is no easy task, but the people who came to my blog were so encouraging and I loved writing the posts. I made many friends during that year and met many of those bloggers in person. It was one of the best years of my life because so many unexpected things happened that year.  While blogging every single day and teaching English, I also received agent representation, got a book deal and wrote a book!

If you ask me how I did that, I'll say, "I do not know!" In fact, there were honestly times when I truly felt the blog wrote itself. There were also times, after completing a chapter on my book, I'd sit there at the end wondering, "Did I just write all of that?" I was so absorbed in the process, that I became the process.

Recently I've gone back to full-time teaching. I love both writing and teaching, but felt last night the strain of not having enough time to do both. I came home at 10:00pm after teaching 6 hours at the college. When I opened the door, I staggered to the sofa and lay down, unable to move.

My husband said, cheerfully, "Can I make you something to eat?" He has always been my biggest cheerleader and the person who knows what to say at just the right time. I opted out of the food and chose to sink into a bubbly bath instead.

Before disappearing into my Calgon-take-me-away bath, I said to my husband, half-jokingly, "Will you write my blog post?" (He has actually been a guest writer on my blog in the past.) He laughed and said, "Take a rest tonight, you can write it tomorrow morning and everything will seem fresh again."

I slipped off my clothes and sank into the bathtub. Suddenly my husband popped in and set down a hot cup of fresh ginger and honey tea with a squeeze of lime on the side of the bathtub. I actually felt like crying when I tasted it. It was exactly what I needed at that moment.

So this cup of tea that was lovingly prepared by my husband has inspired me to keep going. Plus, I really do get so much out of writing these posts and the interaction with you all! Thanks for being here.

Have you ever felt like giving up on something, but somehow found the courage or energy to carry on? What inspired you to continue or keep going?