I have a cold.

I’ve been mostly out of commission for the past two days, and today I’m still recovering.

Usually, I like to have extra articles queued up in advance so I don’t have to scramble at the last minute… but the preparations for the World-Changing Writing Workshop have taken most of my attention lately, so I don’t have any in the queue.

So here I am, writing this, right now.

I need to write a blogzine for tomorrow, but I don’t feel up to it. How do I actually feel? Not too bad. Coughy, sniffly, but not too achy, not too tired, not too groggy. I could totally do it. But maybe it would be better if I rested. It’s good to take good care of myself.

What happens if I don’t write the blogzine for tomorrow? I guess I could write it late. It usually goes out on Thursday morning, and I like to be consistent. I feel like having the blogzine go up every Thursday morning helps people lean into me. It gives people the impression that I’m reliable and dependable, and that I know what I’m doing.

…and that I never get sick?

Is half an hour of sitting and typing going to block me from feeling better? No. I’ll be fine.

But even when I’m not feeling well, I like to share something useful in these articles, not just a rambly stream of consciousness. Ah! Here’s a good one.

Know the difference between a good reason and an excuse.

“I’ve got to take good care of myself” can be a good reason or an excuse.

“I must avoid letting others down” can be a good reason or an excuse.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone” can be a good reason or an excuse.

Double-check your “good reason”. Is it true? Or might it be an excuse to keep you in your comfort zone?

Here’s me, outside of my comfort zone. Here’s me, publishing this unedited, rambly first draft instead of the nice, polished articles I like to share.

Here’s me.