Really putting your mind to it- lessons of NaNo

So, for another year I took on the insane challenge that is NaNo, aka National Novel Writing Month. Myself and 100,000 other people will spend the month of November writing novels of at least 50,000 words. We'll lose sleep, cry, rant at our computers, share suggestions, and spend allot of time wishing we didn't decide to do this.

But, it's a great amount of fun!

Why mention it?

I committed to doing this, and I am only accountable to myself for finishing it or not. There is no prize, there is no celebration (well, there are parties held by NaNoers at the end), and there is no reason to finish except I decided to do it. (And, darn it, I'm behind on my word count!)

You see, you can treat relational skills like NaNo.
You keep to the healthy track just because you decided to. You can challenge yourself to stick to the healthy things. You push forward despite the fact no one recognizes what you are doing. You hold to your commitment to make your life and relationship better because you wanted to do it.

It's not about whether others see it, it is about your decision. You do it because you want to, and you deserve it.

I do NaNo because it is fun, it is a challenge, and it is something just for me. I may never publish these novels, but I have a blast pushing myself to write them. Besides I met the challenge last year, I can do it again in 2009!

In the same way I choose to be healthy relationally because it makes my life better, helps me feel great, and I believe, makes the world a better place.

So, your courageous work is to commit (or recommit) to health in your relationship. Chose one or two things you'll focus on for at least a month and do them faithfully (like I'm writing each day.) It can be healthy listening, healthy speaking, setting limits, practicing self esteem, speaking up, stopping excuses, halting a bad habit, or any other healthy actions.