#334 Writing isn’t hard

In the series of unlikely life advice: a quote ascribed to Astrid Lindgren’s legendary character Pippi Longstocking.

I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that.

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/6773397-i-have-never-tried-that-before-so-i-think-i

Only after reading this quote I realized how often we all hold the opposite belief: I have never tried that before, so I think I am not (and will never be) able to do that.

What a sad and disempowering belief.

Which begs the question…

Where are you disqualifying yourself before even trying it out first?

What would life be like if your default belief is that things you haven’t tried before are possible for you?

How would that change your decisions?

How much fear and frustration would you leave behind?

Might be worth journaling about.

When writing, the most hurtful words enter your head when no words leave your pen.

A blank page is a mirror of our own insecurities, frightening, judgmental…

I found the only way to get through is meeting myself where I am.

Inspired, afraid, angry, frustrated, fearful of poor work, poor words, or no words at all…

This is where the journey starts.

The moment I accept that, I am free again.

This is why I love Stream-Of-Consciousness writing. Whatever state I am in, I transfer the stream of thoughts, the inner dialogue to the page, and see where the flow takes me.

Here’s what I’ve learned: it always takes me somewhere.

And that’s enough to get started.

Because a blank page is also a promise of all my creative potential, waiting to materialize.

And when the words finally emerge
everything flows
and my self-trust grows.

You can wait to start writing until that moment when the frustration builds up so much that not writing becomes unbearable.

But why wait for the pain if you could just write today?

After all, you’re not waiting to become a writer. You’re already a writer. You’re just not writing. Yet.

And all of that can change in one moment of deciding not to wait, but to write.

If you know the journey of writing a book is filled with days where you won’t feel like writing, days where you won’t feel like writing aren’t a distraction – they’re a sign you’re on the right path.

After all, if you know setbacks are what makes your journey your journey, how could your journey be disturbed by setbacks?