I love experimenting with new combinations of ingredients and techniques to create my own recipes or a fresh spin on something traditional. In fact, in the past year, I’ve found this has dominated my cooking…as well as my approach to work and life.
But even those of us who love cooking find themselves in a dining out and takeout rut from time to time, and for me, that’s what the last few months have been…inconsistent in my kitchen capers, and absent in cooking up new ideas on my blog.
The reality is both my business and home life got busier (just when I thought that wasn’t possible). I landed more business and larger projects, and was really focused on creating content for them. At the same time, my daughter and ailing father (and my mother who cares for him) needed more of my time. So, I rebalanced priorities to be sure those needs were met, and my own writing just didn’t fall high enough on the list. While that disappointed me personally, it was the right decision at the time. But now I have the chance to shake the pan again, and redistribute my ingredients. I CAN make time for my writing, while ensuring my business and family continue to run smoothly.
It’ll take shaking things up a bit, trying new things and finding new results. Some I’ll like more than others. Some I’ll found just aren’t for me. And somewhere in between, I’m already finding some areas of comfort…the meatloaf and potatoes of my new work style.
I’ve been experimenting with routines. And for me, routine means some structure to ground me, with lots of flexibility baked in to allow me to cover what’s most pressing on any given day. Learning that I can’t follow everyone else’s recipe for productivity or success is what has ultimately allowed me to create my own.
While I’ve found my zone, I’m also committed to not staying too comfortable. I want to continually challenge myself, stretch to try new things, and dish out something new and different. I know my first experiments might not suit everyone, and my thoughts won’t always be to your taste, but I’m hoping to cook up some enticing bites, and always create some interesting things to chew on. I’ll expect you to call me out on my misses, as well as help me celebrate when the ingredients come together and pop. And, of course, I commit to doing the same for you.
Now that I’ve overused the cooking references just a dash, I’ll simply thank you for reading, invite you to come back and engage in the conversation, and forever keep me honest. I’m ready to cook…