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One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

As I struggle with my Year of the Book, I cannot help but wonder how each of you is doing with your goal to make something special happen in 2011.

Are you 33 days into the new year and already reaping benefits from your focused attention?  Or have you gotten a slow start and already can feel your interest waning?

My problem is neither of those two.

I show up every day and keep my commitment to write for three hours.  But the work is hard and I am feeling discouraged.  I spent a week working on a detailed outline for my book and even consulted with friend-turned-writing-coach, to make sure I was on track.  The words and ideas flow freely in my mind, but when I sit down to write every word is a struggle and the challenge of writing meaningful sentences feels insurmountable.

Yesterday I decided that my blueprint - my outline - is all wrong.  Today I feel like I am back at square one.

Is my experience the reason so many of us abandon our goals - because doing something can be hard and disappointing, and unrelenting in the amount of time and attention it requires?  Maybe the experience I am having is exactly why we must name our year in honor of one very specific thing and not a long list of things we wish would happen.  I'm beginning to think so.

Thirty-three days into my Year of the Book and I can't help but wonder if I have what it takes to get through the other 332 days successfully.  How about you?  Give me the unplugged version of how your commitment to the "Year of..." is going.

Shining off until tomorrow...

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    Posted @ 2/3/2011 7:53 AM by Peggy
    Peggy's avatar

    My year of Back to Basics is happening.
    B- balance.... I'm taking Yoga and either that or 9 months of chronic back pain just decided to end... something is working
    A - acceptance...I've had numorous ocassions that I have had to accept what "I can't change".... reading a new book Dressing your Truth, we all act and interact differently, it's so cool when you are aware of it, work with it rather than against it .
    .
    .C- create.... I revamped parts of my card company and am excited to see what opportunities some new marketing strategies will bring me. FuN MaiL

    BASIC-ally understanding why I do what I do, and embracing how my personality is 'really' wired....sh!ne on.....

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 8:31 AM by Claudia
    Claudia's avatar

    Nice first post of the day, Peggy. I took yoga once and I ended up in the hospital with neck pain. I have been scared to try again ever since then.

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 8:45 AM by Cheryl
    Cheryl's avatar

    First... on the comments... I can only see all of the comments if I'm logged in. Hopefully we can get this fixed but maybe this will help others if they can see it. I only saw Claudia's comment at first but knew Peggy had left a comment.

    On to the important stuff- My year of Love. I'm basically in the middle of cleaning house. Literally cleaning house. I'm getting rid of the old, preparing to bring in the new. While I'm doing that, I'm also focusing on living the life the I want to live meaning I'm not waiting for someone else to be in my life to do the fun things that I want to do. Anyway, there's a lot more but I feel very focused and very centered. :)

    Claudia- JUST WRITE! It doesn't have to be perfect the first time. The sentence does not have to be perfect with every word spelled correctly and every comma in place. Hell the words don't even have to be the words you keep. I envision you sitting there typing one sentence over and over until it's perfect. Let it go and just write!

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 12:40 PM by Robin
    Robin's avatar

    I don't even remember what I named my year - how bad is that?

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 1:03 PM by Claudia
    Claudia's avatar

    Well Robin, it is never too late to rename your year. Go for it. You slate is clean.

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 1:14 PM by more4momsbuck
    more4momsbuck's avatar

    I just made an appt for a facial this weekend - that's definitely ME time!!!

    I'm off for more snow removal, hyper kids and the craziness of a snow day.

    Good luck everyone.

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 1:15 PM by more4momsbuck
    more4momsbuck's avatar

    I just made an appt for a facial this weekend - that's definitely ME time!!!

    I'm off for more snow removal, hyper kids and the craziness of a snow day.

    Good luck everyone.

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 4:44 PM by albart5
    albart5's avatar

    Claudia - I agree with Cheryl....just start writing something. Maybe it will be in the middle of the book - maybe the forward just brain dump and write as much as you can about the topic. That helps me when I can't get started on a presentation or report.

    I am doing pretty well with the year of the Journal. I have written at least once per week and usually twice. I even went back and read all of my entries the other night and have already found it enlightening.

    I am trudging along and looking forward to continuing another 332 days!

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 5:20 PM by Misty
    Misty's avatar

    YOU CAN DO IT CLAUDIA!!!

    I have been stuck like chuck in this house for three days now, so I have not been to the gym and have not taken any classes (SLUG). My year to reinstate my aerobic certification is a slow process but it will be worth the wait. I have to build my music collection, study new trends, take classes, take notes...etc. But I am loving the process :). I am remembering why I taught classes before and look forward to teaching them again...next year!

    Posted @ 2/3/2011 6:30 PM by TB
    TB's avatar

    It just may be that your passion is not writing a book now. If ur getting more satisfaction, more contentment out of what you are doing other than writing a book then consider re-naming your year. That may actually take more courage and commitment. May also be more productive and rewarding. Think hard and either re-name or "just do it" and don't over think it.

    Posted @ 2/4/2011 10:13 AM by Claudia
    Claudia's avatar

    Thanks for the comments, everyone. TB, I actually am really committed to writing a book in 2011 and, in some ways, I think that is why I am having such a hard time. I want it to be perfect and, as noted by many of our other commenters, it is keeping me from writing anything.

    Thank you, though, because you are right... we should be courageous enough to know when our goals/priorities have shifted and, in turn, be willing to do something about it.

    I don't know if you are a newcomer to our community, but you fit right in!

    Molly, I will stay in the game by typing something...anything. Eventually I know this mental block will end.

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