I woke up this morning and wanted to cry. Some mornings I feel so tired then I have a 2 hour commute and working all day. Plus I have to deal with London where everyone is frantically trying to get to work and will knock you out of the way if they have to. Everyone seems to rush nowadays. We have no time to slow down and relax, we’re constantly exhausted and stressed as a result. The pace of life seems to get faster and faster and we just get swept up with it.
As a writer, you have to think about the pace of your story. You want to use pace to increase suspense, tension or drama or slow things down and draw out emotion. You can speed things up or slow things down to bring the story to life. If only you could use such control in real life. We could all do with taking some time to slow things down and step of the rollercoaster once in a while. Otherwise life just moves at such a pace it passes you by.
I’m looking forward to coming out of the fast lane for a while. At the end of the month, I say goodbye to working in London. I won’t have to get on a train and tube every day. I won’t have to wake to an alarm at 6.15am every day. I can take some control back. I can slow things down. I can focus on the things I want to. And I can’t wait to slow the pace down for a bit.
Life is short already without moving so fast we miss everything.
Do you wish you could slow things down?
Victoria
xoxo
Absolutely! Life is way too harried. The little things tend to get overlooked, and I find that relationships suffer. The school year is always crazy, so I look forward to summer where I don’t have to be rushing the kids to fourteen different places every day. I actually am uncommon in that I don’t sign up my kids for tons of summer camps. I prefer hanging loose and relaxing and taking small day trips to the beach or to amusement parks or picnics.
I love how you connected the pace of life to the pace in a novel. You’re so right in that we have to adjust the pace according to mood, action, suspense, or what have you.
Cool post!
Wow I miss being a kid and having the summer off! Thanks Kate 🙂
I wish life wasn’t so hard sometimes. You know these people that just have everything go right for them all the time? I’m not one of them. If ever there was a bad luck magnet, it’s me. And when I see my kids getting older, my oldest will be 27 soon, I realize just how much time I have left on this earth. I’ve been out of a job for almost 2 years. I can’t find one even with a degree. For the past 2 years I’ve had a chance to write, take care of my hubby and be with my kids. I like this pace I’ve found. Too bad it doesn’t pay with money and my sanity has been tested. I can only say thank you to the man upstairs for giving me back precious time with my family that I didn’t have the past 20 years because I had to work. I guess we make the best of what is given to us. I can’t imagine a 2-hour commute. I’d go bonkers. Kudos to you! I hope you write a lot during that time.
I’m glad you’ve had some time with your family, it really is so important. Thanks for your support Jenny, let’s hope the future is bright for us both!
Sometimes, though, when life gets slow it becomes harder. I can’t find my rhythm right now, even though I have plenty of time. I think there has to be a happy medium.
Good luck finding the pace you want.
I think we just need to find that balance. Good luck to you too!
Do I ever!! It is tough working with time and the rush. I really do have to slow myself to live in the moment.
Living in the moment is so important!
You’ll soon be rested and full fledged into the writing life!
I hope so, thanks 🙂
Being able to step back from the rush of 9-5 life helped put everything back into perspective for me! Life really is very short. Enjoy your new freedom!
Thanks Rach, you inspire me!
I’m sorry you’ve been having a hard time. 😦 It’s no fun when you wake up and wish you could just go right back to bed! I write from home, and it’s really nice. Although sometimes the lack of contact with the outside world makes me wonder if I’ll forget how to speak, I’m still happy to be able to do what I love. You will be, too! Not too much longer. 🙂
Hi Adriana! Haha yeah I’ll forget how to be in the outside world 🙂
Oh, tell me about it! The London rush can be quite overwhelming at times, but I guess I just have to get used to it. And yes, taking your time with a story will make it a lot better.
It is a nightmare but you do get used to it although I fall asleep on the train a lot 🙂
More and more, I am learning to live in the moment. Too often, I was rushing ahead or anxiously awaiting the next moment/thing/place I need to be. Too often, I was lamenting all the time that passed me by. I realized that I need to do what I love, and enjoy every minute. I’ve learned not to think about time lost, or worry about how I’ll have time or when the time will come to do something else. I’m doing my best to work with what I’ve got. It’s hard to do sometimes, especially if you’re not in a happy place. Right now, I’m in the right spot. I like my job, I have transportation, I get home and can eat on time (even if I get there late), I have set times for writing, working out, and relaxing… I think everyone can have it. It just takes quite a bit of work to get there. Iron out the kinks, get rid of time-wasters and things you really don’t enjoy. I think you’re on your way, now that you’ve resigned, and will be spending your time writing as you like.
Sounds like you’ve got it right, keep it up!
Oh, man, do I wish I could slow things down. I was already feeling a bit overwhelmed when this morning I realized I’ll have to make another significant change.
My saving grace is next weekend’s trip to Chicago. Thanks to the expensive airfare, I’ll have an extra day there to do nothing. And I really do mean to spend it doing nothing! I need some of that to keep myself running.
I’m glad you’re near the end of your commute. Fingers crossed things slow down to a lovely pace thereafter!
It’s nice to just have a day in a new place to explore, enjoy! Thanks Deb, hope so 🙂
I think when we’re just starting out we’re willing to put up with the frantic pace, but as you gain experience you realize that there is a value to slowing things down. You see things differently. It may be that you are now gaining that sort of insight. But you’re cutting back your workload, aren’t you? You’ll find a way to make it work for you, it’s a pretty big sign that things are wrong when you wake up with the feeling of I’m going to cry. A wake up call if you will.
I agree, I think as I get older I’m less willing to put up with it all.
It is more than 30 years I left London, were I enjoyed living and working. Sometimes I still miss it, but I do also miss the South as well (Ferring/Worthing) were I could find the beautiful Downs and the sea, but also the marvelous country site.
In the years we all have become the modern ‘slaves’. I am happy that as a retired person I am not bounded any more as such, though to be able to survive I do also have to do some extra job in the weekend. But there at work I do encounter many unhappy faces who hurry from one place to another, not able any more to enjoy life, though clinging on all sorts of technological gadgets. Their materialism has blinded them and now they are wading through the fog.
I may asure you it has no use to franticly rush and rush and wanting to keep up with a world will turn around whatever you might try to do. So you better make the best of your life and start living today, not having to be in chain. Putting away the handcuffs of this community, you should try to build your own, even when it is a small family community, but make sure that what you do is justified and worthwhile, enthralling and captivating for you and those around you.
Make sure you live and not be lived.
Lots of luck with your journey through life.
God bless.
Thanks so much! Great advice!
It would be so nice to slow things down and take some time to smell the roses!
Try to enjoy your last month at a 9-5 job as you transition to being a full time writer – something so many of us would love to do!
Thanks Jackie, I hope you can do it too!
I’m just sitting here watching the world go round and round
How I love to watch it go
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
Love those lyrics!
I know how you feel. I had it for years until I quit my job and hit the road with my hubby. I have had it slow for 2 years now. I will be going back to work next month but I think it would not be as fast paced as my last position. 🙂
Sounds like a fun two years! Good luck in your new role!
Thanks. 🙂
I feel like life’s pace is not consistent, just like you describe writing. Sometimes life feels like it’s so intense that time is flying by. Other times, like the moment you feel like you’re falling in love, time seems to stand still.
That’s true Mindy. I think we need to make sure we appreciate as much of those special moments we can!
life is too short….ups and downs happen and it just makes life more colorful… take your time and do what you love…do things that make you happy and cheerful…:D
Amen Merlin, well said!
😉
Sorry if I repeat any questions, but how come you’re leaving London? I have an inkling I’ve heard this before but I really can’t remember. 😦
I wish I could control pace and luck like in fiction. Such as, if my day starts horribly — like dropping a 100ml glass bottle of my favourite perfume and stepping on the glass — it won’t end as bad — such as coming back to your car with a parking fine.
That’s ok, I did share but basically I quit my job in London to take some time to focus on writing. I leave at the end of the month eek!
Ah bless you, not a good day!
I’ve hit this point before. I was working in NYC. 10 hour days with 1.5 hours commuting. And weekends from home too. And then I had to cram my writing around my bread and butter job. It was very very stressful burning the candle at both ends. I started getting sick all the time. The universe interceded and I got laid off. The pace of life slowed and things have been rough money wise but I appreciate what I have now. 🙂
It’s so stressful trying to do everything! I’m glad it all worked out for you!
I wish you the best of luck with things. Can’t wait to hear more about your writing time. 🙂
Thank you!! I’m sure I’ll be updating you guys a lot. Really helps knowing you’re behind me 🙂