step away from the blog

On Saturday we leave for our annual beach week. Last year I broke down why I love this vacation so much and you can read that here.

This pre-vacation week of physical preparation has included replacing lost swimsuits, waiting on the porch to make sure the beach house t-shirts arrive on time, and stocking up on spray sunscreen before it gets pulled from the shelves. I’ve also been by studying my vocab words for Bananagrams, mentally preparing for living with 20+ other people, and coming to terms with spending an entire week in a bathing suit.

In the midst of all that, I’ve also been trying to get the blog situated.

That entails writing twice as much this week so I can have some pre-scheduled posts for next week that will automatically put themselves out into the world while I sit on the beach.

I pride myself on being consistent, disciplined and hard working. Just because I’m on vacation doesn’t mean my readers are. The blog must go on…(It works best if you read this proclamation in a deep, booming James Earl Jones voice.)

In all of this pre-vacation scramble, I’ve slammed on the brakes. Might perhaps I be taking myself a little too seriously?

Am I even enjoying this mad race to get everything in order?

What if I just took a whole week off? And let my brain melt in a puddle of Del’s. (It’s a Rhode Island thing).

What’s the worst thing that could happen? I might be missed? A blog reader could turn all stalker-ish and storm me on the beach demanding that I write something insightful and witty? A major sponsor/book editor/celebrity could be watching my blog and decide that since I flaked out for a week I probably wasn’t a good investment?

Maybe the first. But two and three, not so likely.

This is where I get stuck. I have half of my brain always on the outlook for resistance and self-sabotage, and I have the other half of my brain saying it’s okay to ease off. Vacation is good. Stepping away can be good.

Ugh. Why can’t these two brain halves get along?

In the end, I have succumbed to vacation. I am writing this as an official notice that I am taking next week off from the blog.

I’m going to make things easier and not more complicated. I don’t have to bust my butt this week to earn this vacation.

I am going to go to the beach and turn it all off. And I’m giving you permission to do the same. If you’re headed for vacation soon, really go for it. Stop working. I dare you.

I’ve changed the James Earl Voice in my head. Now he’s saying, Step away from the blog. 

How can I deny that voice?

Have a very real week.