Is time alone romantic???

When you think of a vacation or a treat and romance, I'm sure most people think of time with their romantic partner on... a beach 

or enjoying a peaceful walk

or cuddling in front of a fireplace while Mother Nature and Ole Man Winter are doing their thing....

I'm In the need of a vacation…

I’m soooooo in need of a vacation! Sunday my 7 year-old received a head injury. The hospital isn’t a good vacation spot just in case anyone is considering it.  We are home now. Limited activity, limited diet, pretty much limited every. This isn’t great way to finish out the summer – our trip to the lakes – done. Our annual pirate time – done. 

BUT I know for my sanity, my marriage, and for my 7 year-old that I need to have some sort of break. Realizing when you need some 'alone' time is as important to a solid relationship as 'alone' time together.

One of my amazing sisters is willing to some down and stay with Charlie. What to do??? Plan a readers retreat, of course. You read it correctly – a readers not a writers. I need to recharge – not drain the already low pool of functioning brain cells. Don’t get me wrong I love to write – but’s a job like anything else.

I’ve hosted several reader retreats over the years but whenever I’m stressed to the edge of life, I seek a little alone time. Now some people may find they need just time to stare at the wall and drool. I get that but that’s not for me. My brain wonders and not to positive the side of life so I become more depressed rather than recharged.

Here are a few tips I’ve discovered win planning retreats (personal and group).

1.       Have a focus. I’m going to read. But what? (what are you going to focus on writing – scenes, character develop, etc.) I’m going read an old favorite – a comfort ‘food’ so speak. I’m going to bring a new book that has been on my list for a long time. And a writing craft book.

2.       Have a plan. So I don’t slip into the staring at the wall and drooling situation, I need to have a plan or the books will sit in my bag. So I time block… I know who wants a time schedule on a vacation? But think about if you really want to do the horseback ride through the Woods of Screams, you’ll look up when it happens.

3.       Food. Soooo soooo important! Even if it’s just a day retreat/vacation, you will need food. What and where are you going to? Do you want to go out? Then incorporate that into the time. If you are going for the hermit thing then research who delivers, cost and selection. Or maybe just bring food. Even if you don’t plan on bringing meals, I always suggest snacks.

Remember when planning your DYI vacation/retreat – keep the purpose in mind. I want to read…for pleasure…for my craft…and for my soul. So my choice need to support those. I know very weird for the Queen of Fly-by-seat of your leggings. But I’ve done a ‘go with the roll’ retreat and it was a failure. I came back and felt I’d wasted my time.

Do you enjoy some 'alone' vacations/retreats? If so what are your favorites???

And please join me on August 24th, as I talk about finding the 'one'... the Mr. Right...your soulmate...the man of your dream...your superhero...

You knew I had to find a way to include doughnuts :-)

I want to hear about how you found yours!

The Lost Art of Daydreaming

by Madelle Morgan

When was the last time you did absolutely nothing? No TV, no phone. No rushing to fill rare free moments with yet another errand on the To-Do list, clean the cat's litter box, or to scroll through social media posts and online shopping sites.

When was the last time you sat alone in a quiet place, with no devices in hand, and listened to your inner thoughts?

This month's topic is "lost art".

I suggest that connecting with our inner selves is a lost art. 

Month after month we rush through our days with no time to just "be". There is always so much to "do". We have no time to think. To dream. To let ideas float into our minds from the deep well that is our subconscious, or from the infinite super consciousness of the universe.

I've been very busy over the summer, reading fiction and non-fiction, attending seven workshops, hosting guests, and travelling. My To-Do list is very long. I've hardly had time to take a deep breath before it's on to the next thing.

More to the point, I haven't had that time so important to writers and other creatives to daydream. A plotter, I haven't devoted the hours necessary to connect the dots for my WIP and think about the character arcs. I tell myself I'll do that before I fall asleep. Yeah, right. Eight hours later... the next busy day begins.

It's fall already! Yikes. Where did the summer go?

Don't get me wrong. I had a fabulous summer! I enjoyed every minute. A highlight was a two week trip to England's Yorkshire and Midlands regions. I planned to work on the plane (didn't happen) but I did think about my WIP.

Sort of.

I decided that my characters in Hollywood Hero have to go on location in the endless Yorkshire moors. That's progress, right?

How do you make time to be alone with your thoughts and fill that creative well?

Madelle

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Madelle writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense set in Canada. Find all her books on Amazon.com.