The end of the year is a pretty big time in the blogging/writing community. November marks NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) wherein participants are challenged to write 50,000 words from November 1st to November 30th. It’s also PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) which challenges participants to come up with one picture book concept daily.

Both of those are book-related. But in October, November, AND December, depending on your blogging genre and intended audience, you can also find a writing challenge. A call to write one post per day. Some are organized by topic, where there is a different topic for each of the 31 days and EVERYONE writes on the same topic each day. Some allow you to write your own theme, with 31 days of that theme.

Anyway.

Some have a theme like:

31 Days of organizing your home.
31 Days of walking closer with Jesus.
31 Days of trying to stay sane when the entire world has gone crazy.
31 Days of Ramen Noodle recipes for the college student on a budget (or the family with two or more children)

You get the drift. I won’t bore you with the details. The point is there’re a whole lot of people writing a whole lot of stuff at the end of the year.

Including me.

That is, until I decided it was time for a Break Up.

I started the writing challenge. Had this great idea (and this fab.you.lous. graphic) to meet each of my readers at the end of this pier each day so we can discuss whatever the topic was. Together.

Day One? Good.
Day Two? Still good.
Day Three? I don’t like this topic.
Day Four? Ugh. Maybe I’ll write Day Five today and Day Four tomorrow.

By Day Five, I’m just looking at this as another to-do list.

So I asked myself. “Karen, why are you spending your energy, time, and resources on a project you don’t love? It’s volunteer-based. If you’re going to do something, take time from your family to do this thing, take time from the things you’d rather be doing to do this thing, shouldn’t this thing be something you want to do too? This is not even me.”

And then it hit me.

I’m breaking up with the writing challenge.

We aren’t compatible.

Participating in this challenge didn’t make me a better person.

It didn’t add to my life, build me up, or speak to my soul.

I didn’t pray before taking this on. I just took it on, before seeking The Lord, before asking if this project is something I should take on.

Why? As a blogger, it’s just what was expected. Just what the cool kids were doing. Just the norm.

This thing may be right for them, but it’s taking time away from the things He has specifically tasked me with writing about. And that’s when I knew it was time for a break up.
The beautiful thing is, God gives us the ability to say no to things. Click To Tweet Even if that thing can be used to glorify Him, even if others are taking on that committment, it doesn’t have to be your commitment.
But when we say yes to something we shouldn’t say yes to, or even when our time with that thing has run its course, He gives us the wisdom and discernment to know that it’s okay to break up. Whether that thing is a position you’re stepping down from, a role you’re giving yourself permission to walk away from, an abusive relationship, or even a simple writing challenge that doesn’t fit in your life right now, you can find the strength and courage to part ways.

So the rest of this month? I’m doing a challenge of my own. It’s to you. I challenge you to take a step back and look at your life. Look at the things you’ve taken on right now.

Do they serve a purpose or will they just look good on your resume?

Are they tasks or roles that you know God has given you (don’t walk away from these without MUCH MUCH prayer), or are they just roles you took on for prideful or selfish reasons?

Are you doing them because you felt called? Or because everybody else is?

Once you write down everything you’re doing and why you’re doing it, ask God if it’s time for a break up. You may even know what you need to break up with before you write it down.

Before you finish reading this post.

Write it down anyway, so He can confirm it for you. Meet it with prayer and conversations with your heavenly Father. Pray and talk it over with your spouse and pastor. Did I mention pray?

Only you and Jesus know what, if anything, you need to break up with.

If you’re a blogger, I challenge you to write your own assignments, not those assigned to someone else. Do a writing challenge if and because you want to, not because everyone else is doing it. Words ring truest when they come from your heart, not from a to-do list. Don’t worry. You got this.

And if you need an ear, I will be right here sitting at the end of this pier waiting for you.

Cheering for you,

XOXO ~ Karen