Weekly Accountability: Progress, Pressure, and Perspective

Another week down, and this one came with its own mix of wins, losses, and reminders that life doesn’t always wait for us to catch our breath.

Let’s dive in.

What Got Done

This week was about steady momentum. I made meaningful progress on a client project, knocked out another chapter of The Hanged Queen, and kept everything at work rolling like a well-oiled machine—mostly.

I hit every writing goal I set, which feels good to say. Still, there’s no denying that some of it felt rushed. I missed my usual “forced work blocks,” which I rely on to carve out deep focus time. Without those, I caught myself scrambling a bit more than I’d like. It’s a good reminder that structure isn’t just helpful for me—it’s crucial.

Still, I got it done. Not perfect, but progress.

Creative Wins (Even If I Can’t Talk About Them)

I can’t spill the details just yet (thanks, NDAs), but I had two really exciting creative wins this week. These projects fell into my lap at just the right time—high-concept, high-potential, and right in my wheelhouse.

What I can say is that I’m incredibly grateful and energized by them. Getting to draft stories that challenge me and play to my strengths as a writer is a joy. I can’t wait until I can talk more openly about them and share what we’ve been building.

Sometimes, just knowing something awesome is coming is enough to refuel the tank.

What Didn’t Happen

I didn’t hit my workout goals, and while part of that was a disrupted sleep schedule and not feeling great physically, the other part was mindset.

There’s this tricky space between giving yourself grace and making excuses. I didn’t feel well, yes, but I also didn’t pivot or adjust. I just let the week slip in that regard, and I felt it.

Physical movement tends to power up my mental focus, so missing out on that affected my overall energy. Not beating myself up over it—but I want to do better.

Insights From the Week

This week reminded me of a frustrating truth: I can get a lot done when I want to do something—and absolutely nothing done when I let myself slide.

It’s not a new lesson, but it’s always a little jarring to run face-first into it again.

I also noticed how dependent my productivity becomes when I’m waiting on other people. I hate that. It throws sand in the gears and leaves me feeling frustrated and restless. If I had my way, everything would move faster, with less need for outside input—but that’s not always realistic. Especially in a collaborative space.

There was one quote that really hit this week:

“Run towards the struggle.”

That stayed with me. I wrote it down, underlined it, and let it echo every time I wanted to flake on a task. Not everything has to feel good to be valuable. Sometimes the hardest parts are the most necessary.

Personal Notes

A more somber note this week: I learned that a twi if of my friend’s children passed away.

I carried that sadness into my writing. Not in a way that derailed me entirely, but in the way where every word felt heavier. Writing is often my place to process emotion, but this time it felt like I was writing around it. I was trying to keep momentum without giving grief the spotlight.

Sometimes, all you can do is keep going, even if it’s messy.

Routine and Productivity

My routine mostly helped—until it didn’t.

I had solid momentum early in the week. I stuck to my blocks, kept tasks moving, and felt in control. But then Thursday hit. I let my structure slip, and instead of recovering, I wrote the day off.

That’s a pattern I want to break. A single misstep doesn’t have to undo the whole day, and I don’t want to give myself permission to coast just because things didn’t go to plan.

No new tools or workflows this week. Just me, my schedule, and my sticky notes.

Life Balance Check-In

The balance scale is a bit wobbly at the moment.

Work is steady, creative projects are lining up in exciting ways, and my writing is flowing when I sit down to do it. But my health took a bit of a hit with inconsistent sleep and skipped workouts. I don’t feel bad exactly—just a little off. A little frayed around the edges.

That’s something I want to fix. I don’t believe in total balance all the time, but I do believe in not burning out just to keep the wheel turning.

What’s Next?

Writing Goals for Next Week:

• ✅ Finish the draft of one ghostwriting project so I can clear space for the next.
• ✅ Draft another chapter of The Hanged Queen.
• ✅ Post another chapter of Roll D20 for Love.
• ✅ Publish the weekly short story.

I’m keeping it simple but solid. Each goal is measurable, realistic, and aligned with my long-term publishing plan. I know that when I hit these goals consistently, everything else starts to fall into place.

Mini-Challenge: Get Through the Week

I’m not setting a huge personal challenge this time. Just one simple intention: get through the week and get back on track.

Sometimes, survival is the win.

What Needs to Shift?

Truthfully, I don’t know yet.

I’m still processing the loss of my friend’s child, and that grief feels like it’s sitting in the middle of my schedule. I’m trying not to force a mindset shift until I’ve had space to actually feel what I’m feeling.

That said, I’ll be leaning on my habits to carry me forward. The routine is there for a reason—it works, even when I don’t feel like it.

And when in doubt?

“Run towards the struggle.”

What I’m Excited For

All the NDA projects!

Seriously—some of these ideas are already shaping into something special. I’m in the outlining and concept phase for one and drafting stages for another, and both have me buzzing. I wish I could say more. Just know that once the veil lifts, it’s going to be worth the wait.

Final Thoughts

Every week is a mixed bag. This one had momentum and grief, inspiration and fatigue, discipline and a bit of chaos.

But I showed up.

And that, more than anything else, is what this blog is about. Not perfection. Not performance. Just presence.

Next week, I’ll show up again. So will the words.

Let’s go.