Getting Unstuck for our Passions
For the past three weeks I have been stuck. So stuck. I couldn’t get any writing done on my book. I haven’t been able to write a blog post. I have had an ultimate case of writer’s block. I was so stuck, that I couldn’t think of what to pack for my kids lunches, what to make for dinner or how to get my chores done. The only thing I wanted to do was watch Grace and Frankie and eat popcorn. Now, that writer is funny. I wonder if they ever get stuck.
I am an entrepreneur. I am writing a book. I recently finished a cookbook. What does your list look like? And when do you want to chuck it all? Driven people can’t keep it up constantly. Last week I did the bare minimum. I finished payroll and paid bills but I wasn’t able to pull my head out of my ass to work on my book.
Drive and ambition is not a constant. There are days and weeks when you feel that you need to be pushed, shoved and prodded into motivation. Writing excites me and motivates me so why would I drop it?
I can’t even seem to get this article out. It feels like a struggle. So what am I doing about it.
Taking care of myself: At first, I was actually sick. So I took time to heal and allowed my body to take the flu journey to miserable town. I went to bed early despite the fact it was my writing time. I tried to find compassion for myself even though I was getting upset. I had to quiet the negative chatter of: you are being lazy, toughen up and get over this, just push through the writing and get it done, you are letting yourself down.
Re-establish routine after the break: Getting back into a writing swing of things after you have stopped is intensely hard. Setting up a regular time to do the thing you love and push through doing it even when you don’t want to keeps it a priority. Thirty minutes everyday is my minimum. I should be able to sit down for that long. This is my first article back after a long haitus and I am really struggling but the more I write, even if I scrap the whole article, the act of writing gets me unstuck. There were also words on a paper that I could go back to and find a spark in and rework it so it was better piece.
Reigniting the creative joy: The reestablishing of the routine above is more than just getting out content for the sake of content, it is about reigniting my creative space even if it’s hard. Writing for me is a priority because it is something that allows me to feel creative and powerful. We should all have something that shares our own power.
Find inspiration from outside of yourself: I told you I was on a Grace and Frankie kick. I nudged myself to think about the genius who wrote that show. Someone wrote on the regular to get that content to the actors and then to me. I feel inspired by the humor and creativity and the genuine connection to humanity. Just that simple recognition helped get my glue unstuck.
Be kind to yourself: For you, it might not be writing. It could be exercise or art. It could be getting yourself out with friends if you are an introvert, or staying home for self care if you are an extrovert. It could be about getting more skiing in your life or starting a business. The list is endless. Just know that you are not alone and everyone gets stuck.
Can you allow yourself time to find space from your passions. Can you take a step back and recreate that genuine spark again? Can you tell the difference in yourself when you are actually being lazy and when you just need a break? Is this truly a passion or something you are forcing upon yourself.
I love writing. I may not be great at it but I really enjoy it. It feels like something bigger than myself and also back to the roots of who I am. With all the other titles that I wear in my life, this one feels like it is me, back to basics.
Being stuck is horrible but temporary. If you truly want it in your life, you can make it happen and the joy of it will follow.