Outside of the writing world, I spend 40 hours a week grooming dogs. Each day, I come home covered in bite marks, scratches, hair splinters, fur in my eyes, and some form of bodily fluid on my hands and arms. For a good portion of the day, I get real up close and personal with some dog’s butthole. Not to mention, I’ve handled more testicles in my life than I ever thought I would.

Yeah…not exactly a glamorous career.

By the time I get home, I just want to hop in the shower and get off of my feet. Still, I’ve got to take my own dogs for a walk, hit the gym, cook dinner, and clean up whatever mess I’ve made in a fatigued, worn-out state of mind.

Amid all this madness, there have been physical therapy appointments for spinal luxation and several dental procedures over a few months. Still, I pushed through those incredibly long, difficult weeks and wrote.

And wrote…and wrote.

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After a recent bone graft procedure, I finally had to throw in the towel.

My body has taken a beating, and the stress of the medical bills that continue to pile up have weighed heavily on my mind. When trying to write, I couldn’t finish a single thought. Sleep was constantly calling, and eventually, I had no choice but to obey. I closed out the 10+ windows of draft documents and walked away from the computer screen.

For the last two weeks, I haven’t published a single thing. Guess what happened?

Nothing. Not a single thing.

The sky didn’t fall. My stories didn’t fall off a cliff and die.

The same ones that have performed well in the past continue to perform whether I publish one story or 25. Have my earnings taken a hit? Sure, but the great thing about this platform is that you can always pick up where you left off. My followers haven’t gone anywhere, I’ve actually gained a few more.

Yes, work ethic, perseverance, and discipline are all crucial, necessary elements to success in any part of life…but so is adequate rest. Giving yourself a break and giving up are not synonymous.

Sometimes life happens.

Take care of yourselves, writers!