I wonder what people who live in regions without a big shift in seasons do. Here in Kentucky we have four tidy seasons (well, spring here is always wonky but at least that's consistent). As soon as my horrid case of laryngitis clears up I'm going to ask my pal Sarah about this very thing.
Winter is a time when letting my soul be still is perfectly acceptable. Working puzzles, taking naps, and lots of reading don't need excuses because it's really cold out. What else are you going to do?
Spring, though, encourages me to put forth my efforts. Like the robins hopping about cheerfully I want to get out and dig in the dirt. I want to see what I can find, see what I can do.
Spring is also a time when its easy to recognize the beauty that's already been there.
All the ideas I've been mentally (and physically) pinning on my someday list get to come out now. It can be hard to prioritize because everything feels critical. It can be easy to become paralyzed with all the ideas, in fact, and choose to do nothing.
So how do you get going when your wheels are sluggish?
First, identify your motivation. As I'm in the beginning stages of my tutoring business I'm figuring out that I have to very, very precise. It's not enough to make a broad statement about wanting to teach people to read.
I've had to get very specific: I want to encourage, empower, and equip learners of all ages to take the lead in their learning adventure.
When I begin to lose sight of my goals or feel overwhelmed by all that I feel I need to do I go back to that statement. Slowing down, taking a deep breath and refocusing on that one simple thing helps me to figure out what to do next.
I can thank Emily P. Freeman and The Next Right Thing Podcast for this kind of clarity. She has a book coming out and I'm pre-ordering it ASAP. This is not an ad - Emily's podcast has been more beneficial than I can say in helping me figure out my next right thing.
Second, talk it out with people who can help. It can be my instinct to hold my desires close to my chest. Sometimes it feels like if I say my dream out loud to someone and it doesn't happen then I've failed doubly.
Finding people to trust your dream with can help you figure out what to do next. It's just part of the creative process. The finished product may be different than our original vision, and that's okay, too.
It's part of the creative process.
Figuring out my processing style has been a game changer. It seems silly simple now, but somewhere in the past couple of years I figured out that a lot of my processing happens in my head while I walk, mow the yard, or clean the house. Moving seems to encourage my creativity.
That takes me to step three, which is break the process down into an actionable plan. This is probably the hardest step for me but the most important. I can see the big picture but the details can completely overwhelm me.
When each Harry Potter book was released I would read it in one day. If I decide to declutter I empty every closet in the house. Basically, I like to get everything done all at once even if it leads to my undoing.
Hence, the paralysis when approaching a big project.
After the initial panic of starting a new thing I get out my paper and pen and break that thing down.
My way of processing used to completely stress me out. I wanted to do it the exact way a book or blog or podcast told me to. The thing is, though, individualizing a plan is just fine. Learning how to do something takes making some mistakes along the way.
I listen to the ADHD Rewired podcast, and episode 258 was a literal light bulb going off. The host, Eric Tivers, said that if you find yourself putting off your next step because you're wanting more training, or education, more of anything to put off doing your thing, that you're stuck in a procrastination trap.
If I find myself in the stagnant place all I need is to remember my motivation, and repeat the cycle all over again.
This is not an exact science, so I am giving myself permission to be creative while I figure things out. I'm also trying to take advantage of the season and get my groove on.
I'd love to know how you get in your groove after a season of quiet. Share in the comments or on the Facebook page.
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