The Ebb and Flow of Motivation
Ebb and flow. My thoughts and motivations come in waves, pushing in and pulling back. Just when I think I’ve got myself into a nice, natural posting rhythm, I go belly up and float along helplessly in the tide. It is times like these, times when I flounder, that I know I need to learn and exercise discipline with writing things down.
Every day I get a writing prompt from The Daily Post in my feed reader. It is nothing more than a word to kick start writing something, anything. Since TDP has replaced The Daily Page as my boot to the rump, I have yet to actually write anything using their prompts.
Sometimes, and I hate to say it, it almost feels like I’m willfully resisting their suggestion. You can’t tell me what to write! That sentiment is exactly what Kenny mentioned when I said I’d like to take some writing classes. I, of course, responded to his point with incredulity. What?! What do you mean?! I can follow instructions! I can appreciate guidance or suggestions! (…I’m smaht…not like everybody says… like dumb…)
I can already hear him knowingly “mmm hmm.”
And it isn’t ever that I don’t have any stuff to write about. It all comes down to what you feel like writing, you know? I am guilty of being paralyzed by too many options at times. When I can’t focus, I fall apart.
You know what never lets me down? That feeling of coming back from a good ride with a few snapshots in my camera roll. It’s fresh, immediate and typically simple. That makes committing a day to the page so easy. Just slap a couple images of my motorcycle up, tell you where I went et voila! Post. Any monkey can do that, right? There is no magic to blogging.
Or is there?
“I am guilty of being paralyzed by too many options at times. When I can’t focus, I fall apart.”
I can relate. And it is way too hot where I am to take a ride. Bummer.
That stinks that it’s too hot. When it creeps into the 90s here, I’m not inclined to ride either. The humidity here can be ridiculous, too. That’s usually when I duck out early or late to get a quick fix but don’t stray very far.
Certainly no magic. And what enthuses one does nothing for another. Stick to your core interest and find natural motivation there. I also experience “the ebb and flow of motivation” and have learned not to sweat it. Our blogs aren’t our jobs.
The magic is in actually doing it. 🙂
Not that I would know, lately.