I find it funny how life can get so off track. How, when we struggle through as best we can, setting goals, trying to maintain, that one little slip off the tight rope and we never seem to jump back on!
NaNoWriMo has just gotten rolling and I am already slipping behind, after my amazingly great start the first day. I often ponder why I always seem to be slipping, falling behind on my goals and dreams. Question if they are really important to me, or if I am just afraid. That is one of the biggest reasons I participate in NaNo every year, and why I chose to become an ML. It gives me a responsibility. To help encourage others to write, and to meet the goal myself. I have always loved a challenge, and NaNo gives me a great one every year!
I keep pushing through, with all the things that seem to crop up in my life to try to kick me off track. This year, it was my mom getting breast cancer. Thankfully it was so early that she wont even have to go through chemo, but it has left me feeling decidedly unmotivated to write. I know that writing will get me through, and I will persevere! But it is slow going…
What about you? Do you face challenges that push you from your goals? Allow fears to slow you down? What gets you back up and pushing onward?
Random Acts of Writing 
Goals are challenges in themselves, since they are a fixed promise to oneself with intention to finish despite circumstances that arise. I find any goal that extends beyond a week usually encounters challenges of some kind or another. It tends to be dependent on the situation whether I push through to complete the goal, or let the goal go aside and create new ones in its wake.
Challenges that distract from goals are tricky though because unlike a regular distraction, an immediacy can be created where we feel like we have to address the challenge or else nothing else will go smoothly until that happens – sometimes it won’t, but overall, the process strengthens personal discernment when it comes to goal structuring.
Fear slows me down in some cases, but I don’t let it defeat me. What gets me going again is the realization that fears are useless as they tend to be crippling instead of bolstering, constrictive bindings that will simply hold me back from being fully me; I let that realization carry me to a point where I can focus on writing because the act of writing is not useless to my spirit and life. If I’m really struggling, I will take my fear and write it out in a story/journal entry or superimpose it in a scene of whatever I’m writing… to get it out and move on. Moving on is the important part, even if it feels like treading through oily quicksands.
Self-compassion is important when it comes to slipping in goals; just enough to minimize/avoid emotional turmoil during the process, but perhaps not overly compassionate because some people get motivated by the thought that they need to catch up. I don’t, but I’m sure some do. (> u <)'
I too use my fears in my writing… I truly believe that what people write says a lot about them. How they have characters interact, the different goals their characters pursue… all of it says something. Hmm, I think that will be my next blog topic! Anyway, back to what I was saying, I agree with you! Writing is such an excellent way to get it out, to look at it from someone else’s eyes, so you can move on, hmmm mayhap another blog entry! Thanks so much for the wonderful thoughts you are giving me here! Such ideas to explore!
I agree also that self compassion is very important. When we are not compassionate with ourselves, we tend to just expound the issue. I do get some motivation from falling behind, or from seeing others excel. Prolly another reason I love NaNo so much. Drives me nuts though, when life keeps stepping up and stopping my goals!
Thanks again for some wonderful thoughts and ideas to ponder and write about!
Thanks for following /reading my blog! To answer your question from your post, u would say that fatigue gets in the way. Fatigue from work, life, stress etc. It can be my biggest excuse not to write.
Oh doesn’t it just! Fatigue… the ultimate dream killer!!! Although I don’t think that tends to end my writing as much, except to make it not make as much sense, so then I have more work ‘rewriting’. Although I LOVE the rewrite process!
Yes, time management is key for keeping on track with goals! I think it is important not to put too much pressure on ourselves–especially if we are dealing with important personal issues, like what you mentioned with a family member’s cancer diagnosis. Whenever I have a few days away from writing I feel re-charged and ready to tackle more. That is probably true about almost anything though. Balance is key, but never guaranteed!
Balance I think is one of the hardest things to achieve! Time management however is just more about will power, which is why I find it so helpful and almost liberating.