How Brevity Saved My Writing and Marriage

The Art of Less

Girl, you are soooo busy. I can hardly keep track, my friends say to me in Safeway, at conference cocktails, during backyard birthdays. They have positive intentions. They mean, Good for you, and I don’t know how you do it, and especially You haven’t let being a mom slow you down.

This year, I left my 9-5 to write. I committed to change. Welcome, new me. I was no longer busy. I was inspired. I was working on sooo many new projects. Still, each hour was jam-packed. My heart pounded like the second hand of a clock. 

Finally, I had the courage to chase my dream. But most days, it felt like my dream was chasing me. 

No matter how much I tried to outrun it, busy followed. 

When I’m overwhelmed, like really overwhelmed, I take on more. As an Aries from Jersey, I itch for it, an addict for my vice. Filling every hour. Spinning around, wearing exhaustion like a first-prize science fair ribbon. Somehow thinking busy makes me important. More means I matter. Right? 

After saying Next week will be bet…