Grief changes everything.
Seven weeks ago, Everything just…stopped. I lost my Father, my biggest fan.
And ever since, I’ve been trying to figure out how to breathe again—how to function, how to focus, how to move forward. The truth is I haven’t been able to do much of anything, especially when it comes to finishing writing my 2nd book or marketing anything.
For those seven or so weeks the books felt distant, almost like a project belonging to a different version of myself. The deadlines I had so carefully set seemed insignificant in the face of a grief that consumed everything. There were days when simply getting out of bed felt like a monumental task, let alone trying to conjure words and market a story.
Now, as the initial fog of immediate loss begins to slightly lift, the reality of my self-imposed hiatus is settling in. The pre-order date looms, a stark reminder of the momentum I’ve lost. It’s clear that I need to push back the deadline. Saying those words, even just typing them now, feels like another small weight added to an already heavy load.
Now, I’m trying to ease back in. It’s not easy, and it doesn’t feel the same but I want to keep going, because this book means something to me.
That said, I need to be honest with myself , I have to push back the deadline. It’s not something I take lightly but it’s what I need to do.
Getting back into the creative mindset after a loss is hard. Some days I feel ready to write again, and others, I can’t focus at all. But I’m slowly learning to give myself grace. This is part of the journey, too. The book is still coming. It just needs a little more time.
To anyone else dealing with loss, burnout, or unexpected setback I know it's hard to put a pause on your passion project but its ok to take time for yourself to regain one's energy and sense of purpose so yes it’s okay to pause. It’s okay to take a breath. What matters is that you keep finding your way back, even if it’s just one small step at a time.
I’m taking my next step now. And I’m going to keep going
