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THE UNEXPECTED
This week when I sat down to write The LIFT, I was so excited. The title of the newsletter hit me so clearly. I had a simple, clean message that would be so effortless to convey. I couldn’t wait to sit down + bang it out.
Or - so I thought - until I sat down in front of my blank screen.
I started typing + what seemed so simple, wasn’t. That one simple idea was a mess of ideas - all jumbled together. This one was going to take some work.
As a writer - this happens. You never really know how it’s going to go until you face that blank screen. I am all too familiar with this reality. It’s a risk we writers take with any project.
The problem? I was leaving town for the weekend. I am also wrapping up a big work project. I simply didn’t have any wiggle room in my schedule for extra writing time. I really needed to get this one done within the allotted time.
I tried not to panic. Rather than get worked up + waste time, I knew it would be best to walk away + try again the next day. So, I shifted my schedule a bit + found another block of time to write the next day.
Sadly, that extra block of time wasn’t enough either. I was still having a hard time unraveling my message. It was a mess + I was out of time.
That’s when I get grumpy. I try not to let it get to me, but I get up in my head. I can’t enjoy the present moment. It’s like I can’t let it go until it gets done. I can feel the frustration in my body + I’m not myself.
I don’t like this person. Over the years, I’ve learned to recognize her quickly + stop her in her tracks. Yet, there she was. I had to do something to keep her from taking over.
So, I talked myself down from the edge of ‘writer’s block’ + reminded myself to lighten up. I had PLENTY of time to get it done. After all, my weekend plans included a 5-hour car ride. I could just sit in the back seat with my laptop + write while out on the open road.
But no. Turns out, writing in cars is NOT my thing. Just didn’t work for me. I found myself three hours into the ride + still NO newsletter.
That’s when it hit me. Maybe THIS was my topic for the week. The struggle.
What do you do when you are stuck? What happens when you can’t deliver on your promise to yourself or to others? Do you just keep ‘pushing’ through or do you change plans?
THE REFRAME
Years ago, I was launching a brand new publication. I was so excited! I had spent months pulling it together. Conducting interviews. Writing articles. Getting advertisers on board. Working with the graphic designer + printer + mail house.
The first issue was coming together SO nicely. I couldn’t wait for it to hit 30,000 mailboxes across the city. The only thing left to do was to get photos for the cover story.
There was a new business opening down the street. It was the PERFECT feature story to launch my publication. It conveyed everything this new publication represented + was the perfect lead for all of the other articles in this first issue. It tied it all together.
The photos would be amazing on the cover. I had a photographer scheduled for the perfect time of day with good lighting. My designer was on standby, ready to finalize the cover as soon as we posted the photos.
And that is when the wildfire started.
Right down the street from both this new business + my home, a small wildfire sparked.
Fast forward several hours + this entire section of our city was evacuated. Roads were closed. Airplanes were dropping fire retardant over the area. It was a war zone.
As the next few days unrolled, I started freaking out. Not because I had left my house with nothing more than a backpack + family + pets to camp out at my mom’s house. And, not because we were concerned our house might burn down. (I mean, sure, that was a little disconcerting.)
But no, I was stressing out because I had a deadline to keep. I couldn’t wrap up my cover story without those photos + there was NO way it was going to happen.
I was stuck. What do I do? Postpone my launch date? Reschedule everything? It was such a domino effect. The photographer, the designer, the printer, the mail house, the advertisers….UGH! I was banging my head on the wall trying to figure out how to work around the fact that I had lost my cover story + didn’t know what to do.
That’s when it hit me.
The wildfire wasn’t keeping me from my cover story. The wildfire WAS my cover story!
There I was frustrated that the wildfire was destroying the launch of my publication - when actually, it was fast becoming the perfect story to convey what my publication was all about - building community.
Quickly, I shifted gears. While hunkered down at my mom’s house, I used social media to collect photos from friends in different parts of the city as the firestorm continued. I reached out to people who were on the front lines + those supporting our firefighters.
And, just like that - my first issue became a documentation of the biggest wildfire in our city’s history. It tied all of the other articles together + was a perfect example of how a community can create wins by working together.
How many times do we miss the REAL story because we are so focused on the story we are telling ourselves?
THE RESULT
I’ve been part of a special writing group this month - writers who are creating similar publications on the Substack platform. We have been workshopping ideas for how to improve our publications + deliver the most value to our readers.
Last week, we talked about creating an editorial strategy + publishing schedule. Someone asked the question - What do you do when you get to your deadline + you’ve got nothing or your writing doesn’t meet your standards + needs more work? Do you put out something ‘not good’ or do you continue editing it + just publish on a different day.
It’s a good question. And, there’s no right answer. These are decisions you have to make as a publisher.
You may have noticed, after announcing + launching The LIFT, I have delivered a new issue every Sunday since that first issue in September 2021 - other than a 3-week hiatus I scheduled + announced during the holidays.
I am committed to my weekly publishing schedule.
For me, showing up is the important part. Some editions will be better than others. But, if I don’t show up with the blank screen, I’ll never know. The art is in showing up to watch the magic unfold. Allowing it to be what it is. It’s not my job to be ‘good’. It’s my job to write.
So, here I am.
The same is true for anything that requires consistency - exercising, eating healthy, relationships. It’s the practice - not the outcome.
And, when you stay consistent - long enough - you get to experience those magical moments when it all comes together. More importantly, you get to benefit from the unexpected compounding effects of your small, consistent efforts.
TIPS + STRATEGIES:
We all get ‘stuck’ sometimes. We find ourselves beating our heads on the wall. Things don’t work out. Unexpected + insurmountable obstacles get in the way.
If you find yourself in that kind of space, rather than resist, let it teach you something. This week’s writing experience pulled together some great life lessons for me - strategies I will use in the future that just might be helpful for you next time you’re stuck.
Allow. Instead of frustration, practice grace. Let it be what it is. Notice where you hold on too tight. Loosen your grip. Relax. Trust that it will work out.
Look. Are you really stuck? Or are you just staring at a wall? What happens if you turn around? How does the view change?
Ask. Is there another way to get where you are going? Or maybe a new destination altogether? Can you create something you didn’t expect out of the situation? Is there something better?
Start. This is probably the most important part. While I was ‘stuck’ in the car this weekend with no ideas + no Internet connection, I took out my notepad + started writing free-hand. And - look what happened?
The view changes when you start walking. - James Clear
YOUR MISSION:
Next time you find yourself up against a wall + things aren’t coming together, take a moment to look at it from another angle. Maybe you are learning something profound or witnessing something significant. Maybe you are exactly where you are supposed to be. Relax + keep looking, feeling, moving. Take it in. I promise - you’re not really stuck at all.
BEFORE YOU GO:
For those of you who have been following along with my big work project, I can’t believe we are almost there! It’s going to be a tight race + there might be some surprises at the end, but as of right now, it looks like I just might be one of the delegates heading to D.C. in April!! Woohoo!! If you want to support my efforts, let me know. It is definitely not too late. Hit reply + I’ll send you details. You can also learn more here. Just 8 days to the finish line!
See you next week?
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please share it using the button below. And, if you’d like to stay in touch in real-time during the week, you can find me on Instagram @redefiningkaren or on Facebook @cleanbeautyadvocate.
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Thanks for your post -- good advice. When I'm stuck, I also remind myself of the saying, "don't let perfect be the enemy of good." Aim for good enough.