This afternoon, as I peeled onions and chopped broccoli as meal prep for tomorrow, I was thinking about my writing. As much as I love writing, I’ve been feeling rather burned out lately.
“Why don’t I just take a break?” I thought, as the pile of broccoli pieces slowly grew under my knife. “A break from having to write anything for even a week would be such a luxury!”
But then, I realized that if I did so, it would stretch into much more than a week. I’d rationalize it with, “I need more time to recuperate!” “I’m too busy right now!” “I don’t have any ideas!” And soon, another three years would slip by, unheeded, until a day in the future when I’d wake up and miss the joys of stories blossoming under my fingertips. I’d mourn the years wasted when I could have been learning something—even something little every single day, like I am now—and instead just have let that part of me lie forgotten.
I can’t do that.
Yes, some days it’s like pulling hen’s teeth when I stare, unblinking, at the hour hand reaching around to 11 pm on my desk clock that reads “Good Morning!” It seems like strange irony at that hour, let me tell you! All I want to do is get to bed so I can have that promised morning, but I know if I let myself slip one day, it could be a long, long time until I get back.
So even though I’ve been feeling burned out creatively, I’m going to open that document tonight and write another 100 words. I don’t have to do more. But I’m going to do that much. Because, even with just that amount, the words of my story are dropping into place, one at a time. And before I know it, I’ll be typing “the end”, and looking forward to starting another story (or edit this one!).
Yes, the journey might be long. But the results, the routine, and the fact that I am doing something I love, all make it worth it.
How will you make progress today on something you’ve been wanting to do, even if it’s small?
Leave a Reply