It starts out innocently enough. Too many things to do. The thought that the blog can wait. The weeks go by. Then it becomes months. The longer the time goes, the easier it is to forget. Or ignore. Depending on the day. Just don’t look.
Victoria Brouhard ran into a similar blogging delay and offered some questions in her post, When the Thing Becomes Too Important
So what had happened?
What rules are you trying to follow?
What are you trying to avoid?
What’s the kernel of truth in the fear?
How can you take some of the importance out of writing a post?
In the interest of actually breaking through and posting, I will answer her questions, then hit that publish button. Ready?
So what had happened?
We added an operations person to VisualsSpeak. An organized, business and detail oriented person to help strip down and rebuild the core business model. To come in and take the idea we’ve been working on and put the structure under it to support a different level of business. So now we have two artists and one business person. Two focused on big picture concepts and one how are you going to make it happen.
It’s exactly what we have needed for a long time. But it hasn’t been easy. Exhausting. Watching everything we did to the best of our ability get broken down, much of which got thrown out. Having to look deeply at entrenched behaviors that are getting in our way. Having to re-guess what might work. Change management in all its grueling finest.
What rules are you trying to follow?
That I’m supposed to offer something to my readers, something spectacular, insightful, full of wisdom. Certainly not whining about the agony of change. Or reciting the litany of things I was struggling with on a daily basis. Or admitting the vast list of really bad habits I have developed to attempt to keep my head above water. It took all I had emotionally to get through the process, there was nothing left to allow me to take the risk of posting anything online.
What are you trying to avoid?
I discovered a limit on my ability to be transparent. A line beyond which a fragility cut off words. I wanted to paint, and couldn’t find the time. Or more truthfully, allow myself the time. The visual is the doorway to a well of emotion. I didn’t think I could process any more.
What’s the kernel of truth in the fear?
The professional is personal. No matter how much I try to manage the edges, they bleed together and affect each other. And I have limits and boundaries that keep it all in check.
How can you take some of the importance out of writing a post?
I’m declaring just posting, the act of sticking something up is enough for now. Maybe someday I’ll be profound, but in the meantime, I’m just going to start sharing as feels right. Not trying to be more than the person trying to do the right thing. Working on accepting my limitations. Trying to make a difference somehow.
Now, pressing that publish button.
Kudos, hats off, congrats–published and frnakly damn polished too!
And I could look at the images you choose forever so do the words even matter?
Wishing you only good stuff…
@pearl Thanks for the affirmation. Luckily my business partner has interesting handmade dishes to take pictures of.
Well done Christine! I had my own dry spell last year and I know how hard they can be to break. Now the hard part’s done. = >
Best wishes,
Susan
@SusanJ I certainly hope you are right and I have broken the procrastination spell!
This is lovely Christine. Sometimes the most profound gift you can give is a window into your own process. You did that here brilliantly.
@Maureen, thanks. I keep hoping someday I will have something emerge from ease. I get glimmers, perhaps those are the moments I appreciate all so much more for the contrast?
You could always use prison as an excuse for a lengthy absence. And that’s less than 140 characters ; )
@Janet Or being held hostage by my insane cats…. Oh, that is true….
OMG! You’ve got some — oh sorry, welcome back, we’ve missed you — OMG! You’ve got some post topics in there that I SO-so-SO want you to write up so I can read!
(and using Victoria’s smart list to get going was keen.)
Man Christine, I’d LOVE you to post on:
How an Operations Person Nearly Left Me In-Operational
(or “Learning How to Love Deconstruction”)
Hemorrhoids-Schmemorroids, it’s Change That Really Hurts
9 Entrenched Behaviors that Can Get in Your Way
Habits I’ve Loved and (nearly) Lost: how I was hurting my business
When Transparency Leaves You Nekkid (or: what to wear to blog in)
How to Divide Little Time Between Two (or more) Big Creative Loves
When Words Won’t, Images Will (and other blogging styles)
9 Limitations to Keep, 4 to Dissolve, 6 to Question
Struggling with Personal Professionalism (or vice-versa?!)
A List of Things That Will Collapse if I Get Too Personal on This Blog
This Post Won’t Make a Difference, but I liked sharing it with you
Assignments? Who said anything about assignments…? Frankly, since I break down (and rebuild) people’s hopes, dreams, creative output, and multi-million-dollar investments for a living, I’d LOVE LOVE LOVE to read about your experiences with the Opps person, what worked, what didn’t, if you reacted to the delivery more than the point, how it could’ve gone better, etc.
Glad you hit PUBLISH — keep it up. Nothing profound needed, I swear.
Selfishly yours,
~ @TheGirlPie
Ok Ms Girl Pie I am stealing all of your ideas and titles. Coming soon to a blog near you.
Thanks for inspiring me to get to it and write some more. I love this question and answer the best.
“How can you take some of the importance out of writing a post?
I’m declaring just posting, the act of sticking something up is enough for now. Maybe someday I’ll be profound, but in the meantime, I’m just going to start sharing as feels right. Not trying to be more than the person trying to do the right thing. Working on accepting my limitations. Trying to make a difference somehow.”
I equate it to the idea of “being right where I belong”.
Yea for just posting anyway!