I have a ritual I invoke at the start of each month. I assess my progress, review my accomplishments, and congratulate myself on what worked. That’s the simple part. Next, I determine where I fell short and devise ways to fix underperforming areas. Then I sweep it away.

Turning the calendar means a clean slate and an opportunity to start again. But a do-over isn’t a free pass, and I hold myself accountable by rescheduling unfinished tasks. Learning from my failures, I let them guide me, and they have taught me valuable lessons. My mistakes point out miscalculations, errors, and places for improvement.

Dissecting my shortcomings allows me to make course corrections, adjust my workflow, and I get another chance to be better. The one thing I keep in mind as I establish my new schedule is my past performance is not an indicator of future outcomes. Instead, I do my best to set myself up to outperform last month’s wins.

How do you approach a new month?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I only dream of my workday beginning at 11 am. Unfortunately, my weekday schedule starts early. I have people who count on me, and sleeping late is not an option. Each evening I set my alarm for the crack of a sparrow’s fart and set the contraption across the room. It is a trick I learned a long time ago to ensure that I can’t hit the snooze button and fall back asleep. It takes a while for the buzzing to seep around the sandman’s tenacious hold. I stumble and lurch with flaying arms. Somehow, I manage to silence the noisy thing. No matter what the clock says, I cannot spring from my bed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as they say. No. Forced from my bed, my eyes open, and I fumble for the wake-up juice.

After my first cup, I feel capable of extricating my brain from the primordial goo. Downing cup number two, rudimentary speech returns. My third cup renders me semi-coherent, and the ability to hold a non-demanding conversation becomes possible. I don’t need coffee to start my day. But the process is easier on everyone else. I have scared small children and alienated family members when not properly caffeinated. They say I’m not a pleasant person without a swift kick to ease me into my functional humanoid disguise. They have learned their lessons, approaching with caution to press a steaming mug into my hand. They keep a safe distance until the “More Coffee” mantra fades.

What is your morning ritual?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The weather has turned. It is almost imperceptible, but the nighttime temperatures are near freezing, and fog and frost shroud the early morning hours. The sun struggles to bring us bright mornings under crystalline blue skies. Dawn arrives later, dusk descends earlier, and it encourages me to snuggle under my covers where it is warm. I try to resist since it leads to missing out on the sunlight, falling asleep past my regular bedtime, and perpetuates the desire to ignore my alarm.

My appetite has also changed with the season, and I yearn for comfort foods. Two large pots of chili materialized from my kitchen recently, but today my taste buds are demanding Borsch. I haven’t met a beet I didn’t love. Pickled with pearl onion, roasted and served with goat cheese and nuts, boiled, or steamed and tossed into salads, couscous, or quinoa, and even raw, beets are one of my favorite veggies. The bonus is folklore tells us they are a medicinal plant, and Brosch allows me to combine a lengthy list of superfoods into a single delectable bowl.

Besides the beetroot, I include the beet tops, onions, kale, or spinach, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, quinoa or white cannellini beans, and bay leaves into a steaming stockpot of aromatic homemade chicken stock. Brosch is a magical dish that lets me purge whatever is languishing in the fridge or pantry, and it always tastes fantastic. If there is a stray clove of garlic, it gets added to the pot. A little leftover tomato paste? I stir it in. And now science says these ingredients will help keep me healthy, ready to take on the world. I pass it on and serve a bowl of love.

What favorite food keeps you feeling well?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a busy week. Plenty of hustle, bustle, scheduling home health nursing, physical therapy, doctor visits, and playing short-order cook capped by holiday excitement all piled on top of my typical onslaught of daily tasks. It all leaves me a little – drained. Ragdoll, dead dog, tired. You’ve felt it. Your brain gets fuzzy, you can’t keep your eyes open, and no matter how much you try to stay awake, sleep threatens to overtake you.

I habitually over schedule during this time of the year, knowing I’ll require the help of a team of Santa’s elves to get it all done. Today I have designated my downtime day. My scheduled naptimes are non-negotiable. The only items on the list are the bare minimum must-dos, nothing superfluous. There are various yummy leftovers, suitable for reheat and eat casual all-day grazing. I will wear my fluffy slippers and flannel PJs, pick up a book from my long-neglected TBR pile, settle into my big leather chair with a glass of wine, and see what happens.

How do you relax?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Some weeks have an easy flow.  Everything goes as planned, events fall neatly into place, and the world turns on its axis, and the sun rises in the east. Then we experience periods that try our souls. We encounter roadblocks, red lights, and unexpected problems in quick succession. Saying our plans are a disaster is an understatement, especially when there is no obvious answer to the challenges confronting you. We must work, pulling apart the snarls, creating unique solutions, and smoothing the road ahead.

The process is stressful. It requires long hours and produces tension and anxiety. Music is an enjoyable way to relax, unwind, and gain the fortitude to move forward. You can’t hold stress while the music plays. Reading also works, especially as we watch our hero struggle, fight, and succeed in the journey. In music and reading, we find the courage to continue.

Does music ease your day?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It would be easy to detail the unpleasant hardships, endless worries, unwanted challenges, scary thoughts, and human suffering this year heaped upon us. The list gets long, fast. While I acknowledge the negatives, I choose instead to place my focus and my energy on the positives. I concentrate on getting myself and my loved ones through the winter and plan how best to help those who are struggling as we wait, hopeful for better times.

That is what I am most thankful for — hope. I hope we can close this book and look toward a brighter tomorrow. A glimmer of hope provided the fuel needed to survive anything. It pushes out of bed and urges me to put one foot in front of another. I hold tight to past Thanksgivings and an uninterrupted tradition of creating fond memories, retelling family stories, and sharing our lives. Next Thanksgiving, I intend to forgo a time-honored holiday ritual. We won’t go around the table and ask everyone what they are thankful for. When we sit at that future feast, there won’t be a reason. We will already know.

What are you thankful for?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I look forward to Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday because it offers something for everyone. I have always loved The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and will let others indulge in the plethora of football games, turkey trots, and tv marathons. I wait with my basting spoon for the annual turkey pardoning, a tradition that tickles my funny bone. I am free from the worry of needing to buy presents for anyone. A warm house filled with delectable aromas, cherished friends, and loving family is a priceless gift.

But everything has changed because of Covid. They are still holding the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade but will not follow the usual 2.5-mile route, and it won’t feature the expected high school or college marching bands. The organizers are taping some sections. In the “live” portions, the producers are filming in front of the 34th Street store, treating it like a movie set intended for television viewers only. Football lovers won’t be disappointed and can watch three different games. Dinner won’t take hours to fix, the decorations haven’t left their boxes, and I don’t expect any guests. I could mistake Thursday for any other day.

Tomorrow’s menu includes creamy mashed potatoes, a sliced turkey breast, and homemade cranberry sauce. It hardly seems worthwhile to prepare the stuffing, giblet gravy, or my other Thanksgiving favorites. I put my expectations in group Zoom calls and countless text messages. One thing which doesn’t change this year is my gratitude. I am thankful for the health and happiness of those I love, despite endless challenges. Circumstances have knocked us down, but our spirit and our wills are strong. Adversity often reveals our true nature, and the care and compassion exhibited by some who were only strangers amaze me. I now consider them my dearest friends.

I wish you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Learning a new skill can be an exciting and terrifying experience. There are new skills to learn, a new lingo to speak, and enormous expectations to succeed. We can feel like a kid learning to ride a two-wheeler, fearing falls, scraped knees, and broken bones. Half the battle with learning to ride a bike is gaining the confidence you can defy gravity.

There are tricks to help us succeed. The first trick is to set ourselves up for success. Setting small attainable goals and building on a track record of success puts us in the right mindset to attempt more difficult challenges. Give yourself a set of training wheels, and then get on your bike and practice every day.

Have you set yourself up to succeed?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Dismissing our intuition is easy. It’s dangerous to ignore that little voice whispering in your ear, trying to guide you to your right path. Everyone has experienced it. Somehow you know without knowing why. Even when every logical list says go, your gut says no.  It is your unconscious reasoning. Intuition serves as a bridge, spanning the gap between your instinct, reasoning, and rational thinking.

We need tons of courage to disregard logic, and it takes guts to go with our gut. I have never regretted my decision to listen to my inner voice. But every instance where I didn’t, I wished for a redo.

What is your intuition telling you?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Sunday is unlike any other day, and it holds a special place in my heart. Wedged into the weekend’s end, Sundays represent a time of ease, relaxation, and less structured busy housework. Freedom, lack of structure, and general flailing about without a set plan, wears on my need for an ordered schedule and measurable productivity. I feel my anxiety rising, and I long to transition to more productive work. While others nap, play games, and indulge in binge-watching favorite shows, my fingers itch, my mind looks forward, and my body hums with a desire to act.

Thoughts turn to possibilities. Rested and recharged, I can’t wait to begin again. I pull out my planner, review the past week, assess where I stand, and plot my path. The start of a new week carries so much promise, and I front-load my week’s plans. The surging strength within me demands direction. I devise a strategy to channel my intensity toward tackling onerous tasks, pushing a project across the finish line, or maybe clearing the slate, and embarking on a fantastical endeavor.

The adage counsels us to “make hay while the sun shines.” I plan to take an enormous bite from my task list while my energy is at its peak. The afternoon is perfect for setting the stage, so in the morning, I can explode out of the gate.

How will you spend your Sunday?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer