Where have you been, Katrina?
Nice of you to ask, thanks! I’ve been writing. A lot.
When I released Wild Horse Heart. It’s a fantastic book (yes, I’m biased, but my reviews say I’m not delusional), but wow did I ever stress myself out during the publishing process back then.
I’ve learned a lot from mistakes made in the past, and it's amazing the perspective gained from 42 years in this beautiful, chaotic world.
Lesson #1: Panic Attacks Suck.
The last time I published, I put so much pressure on myself I triggered a panic attack bad enough that I crawled into my kids' room way past midnight to hold their hands in an attempt to calm myself down. Yes, I tried other coping techniques before resorting to that, but I needed their snuggly, sleeping serenity.
I was so afraid of what people would think about my book, and that there were things I could've done better, and...
You know what I've realized? Most people don't even care.
Lesson #2: Ease up, eh?
This time, I'm doing things differently. Partially thanks to 2020 and partially thanks to #momlife, I have considerably less fucks to give, which is actually quite helpful. I didn't set my launch date until the book was ready, and if something hasn't gone the way I wanted it to, I've rolled with it instead of fighting the flow.
Lesson #3: Be proud of your accomplishments.
I’ve learned that it’s okay to rest between doing things. In fact, to avoid burn out, it’s imperative to do other things.
I’ve gone to sleep early, slept in lots (yes, sleep is a theme here), spent quality time with my family, gone outside for fresh air, and kept up with new episodes of The Mandalorian.
Give me ALL the Mandalorian!
Maybe 42 is my magic year, where Life, the Universe, and Everything have come into enough perspective that I've learned to let my perfectionism slide a bit, and embrace the imperfect, organic nature of things. Whatever it is, I'm proud of myself for not sweating the small stuff.
TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read)
- Published a book in 2017.
- Freaked out.
- Published a book in 2020.
- Didn’t freak out.
- YAY!
Whatever happens, keep singing your song!
