I've been quiet.... Oh, so quiet....

So, yeah, I haven't been blogging or posting too much on social media lately. There's no dramatic reason behind it, really. It's summer and there's no school for the kids, and I'm kinda busy trying to keep my 8 year-old entertained.
At first, I felt like I was slacking, ignoring all my deadlines and upcoming projects. I had a persisting migraine for over a week, trying to figure out how to juggle my kid, my writing and everything else I have going on.

In the end, I had to admit I can't handle everything at once. I need to get rid of the constant guilt - if I'm working while my son is at home, bored out of his mind, I feel guilty. If I spend time with him doing fun stuff all day, I feel guilty for not working. It's catch 22, I guess.
That couldn't go on for much longer before my head exploded. So I let go of the guilt, and like a light switch turned on in my head, my migraine was gone.
My kid and I did some awesome stuff during the summer. We went to the theatre, to the cinema, cycled in the park, played tourists in London and had picnics in the park.
We also found new hobbies - gardening, baking and drawing! I suck majorly at all of those activities and yet I've always been fascinated by them. It was time to do things properly and learn.

  

Armed with know-how books, the proper equipment and determination, we tackled our new hobbies one by one and had so much fun doing it. Our garden is equipped with a greenhouse now and we have planted a ton of vegetable, herb and flower seeds for next year. We also made so many cakes and cookies that our friends and neighbours had to help with eating them all. And, our paintings found new homes and are currently hanging on friends and family's walls. 
Most importantly, we spent time together and had fun. How could I have been so stupid to think that working was more important than my kid is beyond me.
Anyway, the point of all this is that I've come to realise that while I do love writing and I do love connecting with readers and releasing new books, I can't go on feeling guilty for every second I'm doing something for fun instead of writing. I intend to keep up with my new hobbies even after the summer, and if my son wants to go do something fun after school, I'm not going to say 'no' anymore.
And who knows? Maybe that will make me more productive. After all, feeling at peace with your own self makes miracles happen ;)
Till next time!
xx