When I'm Feeling Bratty: A Meditation on Procrastination

When I'm feeling bratty/lazy/lethargic/unmotivated and I don't want to keep commitments I've made to myself I:

Think about how much I don't want to do them. For longer than it would have taken me to complete them in the first place.

List all the reasons (read: excuses) I don't want to or can't do them right now.

Roll my eyes. At myself. At the task I'm avoiding.

Try and come up with things I could be doing instead that would make me feel vindicated in my choice.

Sigh. A lot.

Contemplate how long I can ignore the pit in my stomach that's formed because my body knows I'm making a poor choice before my mind will admit it.

When I finally get over myself I:

Take a deep breath.

Realize time is finite.  The task will be done eventually.

Set a timer. Press start. And go.

All this is to say that today was a turning point in my 100 Day Project.  It's nearly 9:00 pm and for the first time I really nearly didn't make time for my 15 minute commitment to #100DaysToWriteItOut.  Which makes this little bit of writing perhaps the best and most special thing that has yet to come out of it.

I took on this challenge to face days just such as this.  To strengthen the muscles of my creativity so that even when energy and inspiration seem far away I can fall back on my muscle memory and get things moving again. I've spent the last three years working on my mental and physical fitness, and it's time for my creative fitness to be front and center.  I'm a little sore, but I'm on the mat stretching it out, gearing up for days to come.  -xo Sydney