Keeping My Butt in the Chair


I was in the fitness industry for over 20 years. Time and time again I witnessed clients who made New Year’s resolutions only to succumb to old habits weeks later. Many of us have likely struggled at some point with doing something hard even though we know it is good for us. There is clearly a block that prevents us from doing what’s good for us and sticking with what we know, what’s comfortable, what’s easy. It’s a brain wiring thing. According to research at the University College of London, humans naturally pick the path of least resistance. Guilty as charged.

I’ve always been an exerciser, so my path of least resistance doesn’t come with the physical part of my brain, it’s my creative brain that seems to have malfunctioned, specifically my writing. I have written about my struggle with writing over the past couple of years. When I recently returned from vacation I told myself I just needed to get back to it. Neil Gaiman sums it up so well, “This is how you do it: You sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy and that hard.” Today this is exactly what I’m going to do. You heard it first folks, right here. I’m officially getting back to what feeds me, what brings me incredible joy, writing.

I have desperately tried to figure out, why? Why have I not been able to write? Why has something that came easily to me over the years suddenly stopped? Was it Covid? (Easy scapegoat). Was it comments on my lackluster writing skills? (Life is full of critics). Was it a shortage of ideas? (They are always in my brain, just recently on mute). I’d have to say without question, no to all of the above. I think I just needed to give myself a mental break. Given that I’m not a world-renowned novelist, seems rather silly I’d need a break from writing.

Here’s my guess, writing ideas stem from everything I see, hear and experience. Every time I read something, or have an interesting conversation, my mind goes right to a blog idea. I couldn’t sleep sometimes because I had hundreds of ideas swimming through my head. I suppose it might be like a musician who constantly hears note combinations in everyday noises. For me, I suppose I just needed to turn the faucet off for awhile. I needed to give my brain a rest.

Does this mean the gates have opened and suddenly all my ideas and desire to write returned? I wish, but not the case. To be honest, I had to force myself to sit down and write today. I fought the idea of this blog. I made excuses why it wouldn’t make for interesting reading. So, here I am, putting my thoughts to WordPress and hoping it sticks. Sort of like exercise. Not doing what is good for us, or utilizing our strengths in a way that feeds us isn’t always easy. Sometimes doing what we know is good for us takes work, hard work. #1 New York Times best selling author Suzan Elizabeth Phillips nailed it for me when she said, “Writing doesn’t happen when you’re thinking about writing. It doesn’t happen when you’re studying writing. It happens when you put butt in the chair and write, without worrying about the outcome.” Dang, that’s it! I’ve been overthinking it! I love when I’m writing, I’m totally in my flow. I just need to forget about the outcome and keep my butt in the chair.

I never had dreams of being a great writer but longed for a platform to share my thoughts, ideas, and experiences. Anne Lamott, author of Almost Everything, Notes on Hope shares, “Everything that has happened to you, belongs to you.” I love this because it’s so true. We own our stories and if we want to share them, we get to! I have no clue how many people read what I write. If they do, I hope they’re inspired, maybe shake their head in agreement from time to time or feel connected to the message. Writing brings me a sense of connection not only with myself but with others. I hope I don’t lose it again. I hope it’s here to stay right along with my butt in the chair.

Is there something that you’re trying to reconnect with that is hard but brings you joy? I’d love to hear about it.

Thinking Out Loud,

Nicki


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