Let’s face it, most of life is spent striving and looking forward to achieving the next goal. After all, it’s one way that we learn and grow into the lives we desire.

Do you have a goal that is always waiting ‘out there somewhere’ for you?  Maybe your goal is self-publishing books, like mine. Maybe it’s painting or playing the piano or spending more time exercising. No matter what your passion project is, do you put some effort into it every day? Or, does it get shoved in the corner to watch as you pass it by day after day?

I’m not here to criticize! After all, this blog is meant to offer inspiration, not to be a downer. We all have lives with most of us spending the majority of our waking hours at that little thing called ‘work’ so we can pay those other little things called ‘bills.’ (Isn’t being an adult fun?!)

I was watching one of my favorite YouTubers, Sarra Cannon, the other day where she challenged her followers to not ‘break the chain’ for 30 days. Her main goal is to write everyday, but of course we are all at different stages in this journey. If you’re a writer, maybe you have just finished writing a book and need to edit, edit, and, hey, let’s do some more editing, like me. Or maybe you need to finish brainstorming your ideas into a glorious outline. Maybe writing isn’t your thing and sticking to an exercise goal like walking everyday sounds appealing.

Whatever you’re working on, the main point of this challenge is to put some time into it every day. How much time? That’s up to you! Yeah, but under what parameters? That’s for you to decide.

So, wait, I don’t have to sign up for anything or follow any guidelines? Nope. I’m not following someone else’s writing schedule or eating plan. The rules are up to me. This is why I loved swimming so much: it’s me versus me. So far, on this eighth day of July, the challenge has been the perfect motivator to keep me consistent.

Yes, my main goal is to have a polished up manuscript to send out into the world (yikes!). But marking that purple ‘X’ on the calendar is a daily reminder of the progress I’m making toward my dream of self-publishing.