Prove It! (in other words) I Dare You!
I gave up chocolate a week ago.
And I have a week to go.
I dared myself to do it. I needed to prove to myself that I could, if I chose, do without chocolate for an extended length of time. It was June 30…I’d just cleaned out a bag of peanut M&Ms. I’d been binging on chocolate for a few months… If it were in the house, I had to hunt it down and eat it. All of it. If I were out of the house, I had to find it. Stop and buy some. Get that big cookie at Starbucks. (Though they recently changed their recipe and I don’t like the new chocolate chip cookie…THANK GOD!)
I knew I was out of control. Fixated. So, I toyed with taking a break from the greatest gift the gods bestowed upon humanity. Sigh. Thought about it for a month. Thought about making it part of eating better, doing better…you know, the big goals. Exercise, diet, clean my house, work on the yard…blah, blah, blah.
In the end, I decided to keep it simple. I’d just give myself a two week break. One of my few surviving inner critics laughed at me, “You can’t do it! You don’t want to do it! You won’t do it!”
Well, what could I do? I threw him to the Kraken, then sat and decided the little shit had a point. Could I do it? Of course, it isn’t like giving up breathing. I could live without chocolate…for awhile. Did I want to do it? Well, not really, but I needed to exhibit some power over my life and over the growing conviction that I had no control. Would I do it? Ah. Well…sure. Someday.
My taunting critic crawled back aboard and gasped at me, “You coward! I dare you!”
I kicked him back to the Kraken and shouted after him, “I’ll do it! You’ll see!”
It’s been a week. No one has died. Yet.
Next Wednesday, I head for Washington, DC. And I’m not looking to break my chocolate fast purposefully…but I know the stresses of flying and waiting in airports could see a need. And I’m going to the RWA Nationals! I’m not going to push this dare further than the 15th. If I come home and I’ve continued to say ‘no’ I’ll be proud of myself. If I break down and indulge, that is OK also.
This has worked so well, I decided to try the same short term dare with another can’t - don’t - won’t subject. Writing.
My pseudo zen inner critic made an observation, of course. “If you were meant to write, you’d be writing… Ohmmmmm.”
I threw him overboard. What does he know? (Those intellectual ICs are the worst!) And so I dared myself to write, everyday. Prove you can do it, Chance!
500 words a day for 10 days. If I do more, cool. But no less. I don’t know if this is going to work, but I’m going to give it a try. I can write at the conference… I want to write at the conference… I will write at the conference. And those 7 days before. (Hey! This counts! 600+ words… I AM THE CHAMPION!!!!)
Has this ever worked for you? Giving up something to prove a point? Doing something on a dare? I usually ignore the whole ‘double dog dare’ you stuff. But I know how easy it is to slack off of things…use the entire ‘tomorrow’ lexicon of procrastination until a month of going nowhere has passed. I’m working on breaking this pattern.
So, crew…visitors… I dare you. Try it for a week…try something. It don’t have ta be so drastic as giving up chocolate. Write 500 words a day. Walk. Get ta the gym. One meatless day a week. No coffee. 8 glasses of water. 5 pages a’ day need editin’. No cursing. Double yer cursin’.
It can be a don’t or a do. Share this goal…short term, ya keep in mind. We ain’t lookin’ ta change the world, jus’ prove we ‘ave the power over our world, one small piece at a time. Ya gots ta learn ta crawl afore ya fly. We mostly work on writin’ ere on the Revenge, so consider how ya might unstuck yerself wit’ yer WIP. Prove ta yerself show that yer a writer…I dare ya!
Books by the Crew
73 comments:
Chance,
I love the idea of daring myself to write 500 words every day. It seems as though, every day is so full, that I'm finding it hard to carve out the time.
Di
This is supposed to be my summer for dentists, dieting and writing. The writing is actually going fine. You've inspired me to make that phone call to set up an appointment and drink that Slim Fast. Have a great time in DC!
Great job Chance! I don't know if I could give up chocolate for two weeks. That's just extreme living right there.
I was on a pretty good writing regiment there for a while. 5K every week. But, I stalled out a few weeks ago and I've rethought some of my motivations. So I've been doing that instead.
As far as goals.... I didn't eat meat for like 2 years, just because. I do again but I'm kinda take it or leave it, honestly.
Now if I could only work out....
Good Morning Crew! I think there are a lot of things I should dare myself to do or not to do, but I think for the most part I have good will power when I want to use it! But give up chocolate, Chance are you crazy!!! Take away my cash card, check book, shopping, spa days, anything but DO NOT touch my chocolate covered almonds!! Ok I will take up your 500 words a day and raise you 100! So for the next ten days 600 words starting today! Have a great day everyone!
I'm all for doubling my cursing. I will not be cutting out chocolate or caffeine.
Maybe I'll increase my sex intake. That might actually be enjoyable.
LOL Hellie! Increasing the sex intake is a great one!
How dare Chance even mention the dirty, dirty words of cutting out coffee! Shame on you!
For me, I just need to write ~ and the last challenge from you pirates got me going, so I'll match that 500 words a day goal for a week. If I can do it for a week, I can do it more often!
A few years ago I needed to prove I had control over my life and so I set out to do something just to prove to myself I could do anything if I set my mind to it.
So, I ran the NYC marathon! 26.2 miles of pure torture, but it was worth every morning of getting up at 4am to practice run.
In the end it proved to me that my mind is more powerful than my body and that if I work hard enough, nothing can keep me down. Coming from a very unhealthy family, I needed to know I could be the boss of my own health!
Geez, you people are killing me here. Talk of NOT eating chocolate and running marathons and increasing sex. Well, that ones not so bad. But gosh, this other stuff sounds terrible. Is this supposed to be a good thing? I don't think any of these sound good. LOL!
Once I finished school I told myself I had no more excuses. The writing had to take priority and I'm doing pretty well with that. I added 10 pages in the first week and topped the 100 page mark. Technically for the second time, but this 100 I'm keeping. :)
I set a goal of adding 10K words by the time I leave for Nationals and so far I'm around 3K. Not exactly on track, but better than sitting at no K which was not unlikely.
Since I've sort of started this and it's something I need to do, I'm pledging no more than 2 hours of TV a night. Period. Maybe. Maybe 2.5 hrs, I need my Jeopardy. Okay, that's it. 2.5 hrs a night. For now I'll say a week since next week I'll be at Nationals and it won't be an issue. Wouldn't be fair to include that and take credit.
Now, is this when I should tell Chance there's a giant chocolate feast right after the RITAs? As in table upon table covered with chocolates right outside the door. Can't get out of the room without walking past them.
Yeah, I'm thinking this chocolate thing ends on the 18th. LOL!
Mornin'! Hey, don't get down about it all! Be inspired and double yer cursin'. It ain't so much about what ya choose to do, or don't do, it's the actually doin' of it.
(That be somewhat convoluted...but I 'ope ya get the gist a' it!)
Di R - 500 words don't take so long. I sat down and slapped this puppy out in less than an hour. And so far, I'm doublin' my goal each day. Summer days be short, but 500 words is short, too! You can do it!
Maggie - Glad ta inspire anyone ta do anythin'! I find now, at the end a' one week...those cans a' chocolate Slimfast be lookin' really good...
Marnee - If'n the chocolate be there, I be takin'. That be the problem. This be why I set me goal small and limited how long I be required ta do it. Once, I gave up chocolate fer months! (It were a sad time fer me...) But I felt so in control as chocolate be me demon food.
Fer some, it be potato chips... Hi, Last Chance! You know I be talkin' 'bout you.
I knew if I set this goal too big. Like five fruits a day, five vegis a day, walkin' 1 hour a day...blah, blah, blah...I'd break down inta a quiverin' mass a jelly at day two.
Keep it small, keep it jus' a bit challengin'. Baby steps.
Hey I have a great recipe with slim fast! Mix it with a cup of vanilla ice cream and put it in the blender, it is fantastic! But ya kind of defeats the purpose does'nt it? Its really good though!
Jane-o! Yer on! (I'm gonna win this as I be managin' 1000 words a day so far!) 600? Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!
It had ta be chocolate, Jane. I were like a drunk wit' a bottle a' rum jus' sittin' at me side all the time.
I be 'oping when this be over I can ease back in... A chocolate fest after the Ritas? Oh, hell.
Let's throw Sabrina off the ship.
Cap'n, I like yer spirit. Double yer sex! And yer cursin'! There ya gots the benefit a' challengin' yerself and enjoyin' it at the same time!
As I said crew, I dare ya ta do somethin' fun every day. Even if it be watching Jeopardy... (really?)
A bloody marathon!? All I'm doin' is givin' up chocolate fer two weeks!
Sounds like ya needs a real challenge, Sabrina... Give up coffee fer three days! I dare ya! (Jus' long enough fer the caffeine withdrawals ta begin ta turn ya inta the Kraken...)
Good ta hear yer takin' up the flag and goin' fer the 500 words a day fer a week. Keep me posted on how ya do!
And it do be about provin' ya can do somethin' that goes against the nature of what ya be inclined ta do... I got the medical challenges in me family ta rise 'gainst, too!
Vanilla ice cream in yer Slimfast? That do seem ta defeat the purpose, Jane-o!
Sigh. Aye, Terrio. This chocolate thing be destined ta end on the 18th. But I admitted it might end at the Nationals. Now I gots somethin' wonderous ta save meself for...
Look at what yer doin' now, not compare it ta what ya did when school first let out. It be easy to set goals that start off flashin' bright, then in the light a' reality, they dim a bit. Jus' do what ya can ta keep the light lit! And 3k ain't nothin' ta blink at!
Next year, ya pitch a full MS!
Thank goodness I ate the last of the ice cream yesterday or I might be pushing the blender button right now. And the first (of many) dental appointments? I did call! August 11---I have a whole month to get more anxious. I've had hideous luck with dentists. One was defrocked (de-dentisted?) for screwing unconscious patients in the chair (not me...I don't think). Another practice closed because all the dentists were cocaine addicts. Is it any wonder my teeth are quietly rotting? Let's hope this new practice is relatively scandal-free.
Well, third time is luck?
You and me sis, Last Chance, could compare dental nightmares. She be keepin' our dentist in fancy cars! There be some comfort in teeth quietly rottin' stead of screamin' as they rot. Last Chance has the screamin' experience...
But it be food fer a good book... My Year of Living Dangerously - with Dentists!
Congrats on makin' the appointment. They never be fun...and I like me dentist. But it still ain't fun.
I hope you're kidding about the coffee but the only way I usually survive early mornings is coffee caffeine intake.
I hope you all have fun at Nationals!
I don't do well with goals. So I just tell myself that I must write something at least every week. Usually on Thursday afternoons when I take my half day. And until I wake up and stop feeling like an old woman who's been rode hard and put up wet, no more commenting from me. LOL
OMG, Maggie, I spewed yogurt all over my keyboard. That is hilarious. Well, not really, but "screwing patients in the chair", seriously. It was the not me - I don't think! that got me. That takes being afraid of the dentist to a whole new level. Especially if you saw my dentist - EWWWWWW! I'm taking my daughter Friday for fillings. Ever since he fixed her cracked front tooth last January (on a Sunday night no less) she absolutely adores our dentist.
Let's see - I think with me it would definitely have to be exercising. I keep telling myself I just need to take a walk once a day and I just can't seem to do it. It's probably more important than anything else in my life right now (gasp - even writing) but I keep fighting it!
Maybe if I join Hellion with doubling my cursing and sex I can manage it! Not all at the same time, mind!
Wow, Maggie is living dangerously for sure. LOL! I have been going to the dentist steady for the first time in my life and damn that stuff hurts. They cleaned them last week and it had only been 3 months since the last time. But it still hurt like hell. WTF?!
And now I'm pretty happy I've never been unconscious in a dental chair. *squeezes knees together*
Irish - I SO need to make the exercise thing stick. Last Sunday I got up and went right to the Fitness Room. Well, I got dressed first. Y'all know what I mean. I did 45 mins on the treadmill before my knee gave up. Felt good. Haven't gone since. LOL! I'm working on it!
Sin! Glad ta see ya aboard...ya crawl on down ta yer hammock, it be OK.
I think a nebulous goal of writin' somethin' every week isn't such a bad thing ta work wit'!
I don't know, doubling your cursing in the middle of sex--that can be kinda exciting too.
Well, if cursin' durin' sex be a good thing fer ya, then why not? Double the cursin' durin' sex! Which also be doubled!
Irish, yer right...it be hard ta do these things daily. Ya could try lacin' on the athletic shoes and walkin' 'bout yer house ta begin wit'. Then, jus' maybe...ya find it easier ta slip outside and get ta the mailbox... Park at the other side a' the lot when shoppin'... All a' these things count!
Hellie - I was thinking the same thing. LOL!
Poor Sin. Someone get her a bigger mug for that coffee.
I nearly spewed MD at my screen at reading Maggie's Dental Mishaps. Holy shit! No, I've never been unconscious for any of my proceedings...and I have an awesome dentist. I never feel the needle going in to numb me up; she numbs you to the eyelids so you don't feel anything; and she still understands what you're saying when you try to talk--it's weird how they can do that! Is that a class in how to speak "Dental" or something?
My dentist filled a cavity in my tooth the other day; I swear to God it took tops, 15 minutes...and that was with the numbing procedure.
Terrio - Ya could dare yerself ta exercise at the gym every Sunday! Keep it simple!
I could do that. But would that do me any good? LOL! I need something to battle back against the Ready Whip I have on the fridge door and those PB cookies I made last weekend. *sigh*
Perverse minds think alike! A Double C&S! New drink!
And I love me dentist...
Well, there is always the walkin' everyday! How 'bout every other day? And ya rewards yerself wit' some writin'.
Okay, I have it. This is what I vow to do but not until after Nationals because it'll be impossible before then.
Walk at least 2 times a week.
Pilates at least one time a week.
And the bonus is that I'm starting belly dance classes. I know, I've lost my ever-loving mind. LOL! Heaven forbid I not have an extra-curricular activity going. The first class is tomorrow so I can test run the knees. Wish me luck!
Y'all need to head over to Leslie's blog today. She's running with our drink ideas and asking for original drinks based on her books. LOL!
http://killerfictionwriters.blogspot.com/
I almost started a belly dancing class a few weeks ago! You do it now and I'll start up in the fall! We can shake and shimmy together...whoohoo!
That would really liven up the parties around here. LOL!
Forgot to say, I gave up chocolate for lent once. Longest forty days of my life.
I never gave up anythin' hard fer lent. I was that sort a' Catholic...
LOL! I gave up Pepsi once too. Back when that was ALL I drank. Many moons ago, in other words. That glass of Pepsi I had on Easter Sunday was the best dang glass I ever tasted.
Since I cannot get up early enough to walk before the heat and humidity make walking more dangerous than not walking, I have determined to try 10,000 steps a day. So far I haven't reached that goal, but I'm getting closer every day. I bet mothers of toddlers reach it without even trying.
I wonder if the same gradual approach would work with writing. If I set my goal as 10K a day . . .
I remind myself from time to time that Mary Balogh wrote A Precious Jewel in two weeks.
10K a day?! Really? I'm doing about 1K a night and that's in about 2 hrs maybe. So I'd have to write for like 20 hrs a day to hit that numbers. LOL! Yeah, I'll just cheer you on, Janga!
Wait, aren't you done and just cleaning up? What do you need to write that many words for? What are you up to, woman?! LOL!
I'm still not any more awake than I was earlier. I totally got to touch Cristina Scabbia and the guitarist held onto my hand and threw a guitar pic into my bra. It was the awesomenest of the awesome. Until 3:30am and I was still hearing the roar of the crowd and music in my ears. LOL
Go Janga! 10k a day is a hard goal to hit but I know you can do it!
I totally forgot about your concert, Sin. That does sounds like an awesome time. Whoot!
10k a day! I bow in yer general direction! I once did as much, when the fire inside me was burnin' so bright and loverly. Someday!
And 10,000 steps is a goal I can get behind. I always mean ta get me one a' those pedometers and count me steps. Though I be harborin' a back disaster at the moment and actually be limitin' me walking. But...oddly enough...I can bike ride without pain! So, I be shooting for daily bike rides. Haven't made it yet, but everyother day is workin' out!
Sin! Ears still ringin'... ah, I 'members when I were young and spent hours after a good concert clearin' me ears...
The Knack, Jethro Tull, Jefferson Starship...
Good days! Sounds like ya reached a goal, ya touched yer singin' idol! And got a guitar pick! Whoohoo! I was wonderin' how it went as I drove ta Starbucks taday in me red minivan, Lucuna Coil on me stereo...loud.
So, Terrio... Jus' ta keep me goin'...what sort a chocolates be at this buffet after the Ritas?
May 'elp me stay on the wagon, dreamin' a' tables filled wit' chocolate next Saturday...
Gosh, I couldn't name most of them, I'm sure. There were two long tables and they were covered. Everything from pasties to brownies and all other confections in between. Cookies, cream filled stuff. All sorts of things.
You're killing me! I won't be at RWA and will miss out on the buffet o' chocolate!
Now my day is ruined! LOL
I tell everyone how skinny Sabrina is yet?
Ah, go run a couple of marathons, fit girl! Jus' 'cause Rt don't get such qualify stuff...
I'll eat yers for ya, Sabrina.
Terrio - be that pastries or pasties? I be imaginin' some interestin' dancers...chocolate tits?
That is definitely a typo. LOL! PastRies.
Somehow the running a marathon bit gave her skinny butt away.
*does some dirty math* 10,000 words=40 pages. About two or three chapters, really. Hmmm. Not the most impossible thing in the world, but still, it would be a eating at your computer sort of writing day.
I'll stick to smaller ecrements. Having HUGE goals that I don't accomplish only makes me feel guilty. *LOL*
Chance is a liar! A lying Pirate - well I never!
I'm really not that skinny, but thanks for the ego boost!
If you knew me, you would know that *running* a marathon is so not in my nature. That's why I made myself do it! *note running = slow 5 minutes jogs with 1 minutes walks*
I'm all about the distance, not the speed! Wait - that could be my motto for a lot of things!
Sabrina - I'd say that could be the motto for most things on this ship. LOL!
And she is so skinny. Blond, elfin face, lovely eyes...long legs...
I sense a new drink risin' ta the surface...
Would you two like to be alone?
And MM, thanks for trading me days today. I would be NO good today on the blog.
*laughing* Ter, would you like me to wax poetic about you? Would that make you feel better?
I'm in love wit' Sabrina? No, 'ate her. She's too pretty. Makes me look like a hag.
Ah, Sin! Ya'd jus' be snarky and that might be fun... Tho I bet the music still be ringin' in her head. Ya gonna frame the guitar pick or make an earing outt it?
Ter - I were a bit worried 'bout chocolate pasties. Sounds like somethin' the Ellora Cave guys may be forced ta wear at RT. (A much randier convention, I believe than the RWA's.)
Sin - I'm so glad you threw the word "poetic" in that sentence. ;)
Yes, RT is known to be randier than the RWAs. Sort of the MTV Movie Awards vs. the Oscars. LOL!
RAD!
OK, packin' up from Starbucks. Got me 2k words in and closin' in on the big climax. Gots me some figurin' out ta do...
How ta see each a' the four face threats that seem impossible ta surmount, but they do... Kill a villain... Hmmmm.
No, I not be plottin'...I be figurin'!
Now you hate me? Boooooo!
I was blushing with all the nice things you were saying about me - but just know its a mutual admiration society! You were so helpful to me at RT and I was very much in awe of you!
Don't hate me because I'm beautiful! Well ok, you have permission to hate me for saying that! LOL
In awe a' me!
Hear that, crew?
Say it tagether now... AHHHHHHHHH!
Nah, I don't 'ate ya, Sabrina. Sigh. A marathon? I give up chocolate fer two weeks and ya train fer a marathon?
That was 2006 - and I've never run another day in my life. Seriously...I walk even on my treadmil - it would fall apart if it had to go faster than 3.5.
I had to do just one to prove to myself I could then I was totally done with it. BUT, I have a fantastic finishers shirt, jacket etc I can wear with pride and act like I'm some bigshot runner! LOL!
I felt good about getting up to 2.8 on the treadmill last weekend. LOL! My knee hurt too much to go faster, but I'll build it back up. Maybe I'll hit 3.0 this weekend. *sigh*
This next week gonna be a long one...
Least ya did it once. And that be somethin' ta be proud a'.
I tried runnin', once.
Think I'll stick wit' me bike. And writin'. And not eatin' chocolate. Fer awhile. Beginnin' ta sound so good...
I need ta eat and then I won't be thinkin' 'bout that wonderful melting sweetness...
ACK!
don't worry Terrio - my 3.5 is all about the long legs. Somehow, I'm 5'4, but all legs. I have to slow my walk for people to keep up with me!
You can do it Chance! And yes, I am in awe that you are doing it - writing and pitching and fully out there as a writer. :)
When I grow up I want to be Chance!
*blush
I be humbled. Sabrina is a lovely girl, pirates. OK, a lovely woman. And she's gonna make it! 500 words at a time!
Chance - If I didn't know better, I'd say you have a disciple there. LOL!
Sabrina - I'm the same way! I'm 5'4" and it's all legs. I have no torso. Well, except the boobs. Yes, I'm very odd looking. LOL!
I can't wait to meet you! Won't be hard to miss, right?
*giggle
I am gonna need a phone number...
Did I not give you that? Off to do that now.
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