Handling stress
A stressful situation: there is something we desperately want to do, but we’re not doing it. For me, it’s writing my second novel. What’s frustrating you? What is it you badly want but aren’t able to make the time, get the motivation, take that first step?
I finished my first novel this past spring and went through editing and publishing through the summer and fall. I kept thinking of the next book in the series. It’s exciting stuff: I’ll write about a terrorist, a bomb threat, two nice people’s first kiss (!).
Yet, I’m blocked. Am I crazy to be suffering through another book? Simply lazy? Disorganized or hazy in my thinking?
So, I’m starting a blog series about “blocks” and getting out of them. And it’s not intended only for writers.
A hilarious response
So, I began my research and read this interesting article by Jeff Goins. He shares over a dozen different ideas, some of which I already do. I’ll describe various writer’s lifestyle habits in later blogs I’m sure.
But Goins writes that the most important way to become “unblocked” from whatever it is you want to do, is… drum roll… “You don’t overcome writer’s block by reading articles on how to overcome writer’s blocks!” Love it! Reading articles doesn’t solve a problem. But I’d hope they provide information, inspiration, hope. But we get the idea, Jeff.You overcome writer’s block by writing–it’s the fail-proof solution. You overcome other blocks, too, by DOING… starting somewhere, anywhere.
Small steps
Getting something “big” done has to start “small.” (If you care about it, it’s “big,” real big.) It’s all about doing and beginning with a one small step. Taking that first step is critical… whether it’s writing a few words, studying a few minutes, painting a stroke or two, chiseling a line in the wood, learning one word of a foreign language.
John Maxwell is an amazing writer who shows readers wise ways to grow as a person and in leadership. My favorite book of his is The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth. Maxwell often writes about “small steps,” including in this piece here. Check it out. Maxwell writes that thinking “small” encourages you to get started, allows you to prioritize and concentrate, and provides the necessary step to reach the next level. All are important reasons. But I’m focusing on “necessary.” You must take that step. If it’s too big, you feel overwhelmed. Maybe you fail. But if you take that a smaller step, you feel blessed, successful, and you’ll take another, and another, and maybe you’ll end up running to the finish line. But if you stumble, then you can get up, start those small steps again, and perceive you’re heading toward the prize, the prize of accomplishing your goal.
A short aside
(A short aside, but a very serious one. A dear friend is addicted to a drug, seriously stuck. I’ll have him in my mind and prayers, as I do this blog. But that is a much tougher, more involved “block.” Some people need professional medical and trained health care professionals. Other people need encouragement, compassion, a gentle nudge with a layering of researched information. Sometimes, I think if I could do my life all over again, I’d focused on being a doctor, or trained psychologist—particularly when I think of this one addicted person. Meanwhile, I hope to help people through these blogs and others I’ll be doing on thejoyquest.com)
