WHERE
DO I START?
Have you been wanting to take an idea, project, burning desire and make
it happen? But instead it sits collecting dust because no
matter how excited you are about it, taking that first step can be like leaping
off a cliff.
We (I include myself) tend to put it on the back burner for later claiming
we don’t have the time, too much that has to be done, wondering if it’s worth
pursuing. We’ll think about it when we have more time.
More time, that’s a laugh. Who
ever says “Wow! I have so much time on
my hands, what should I do?” Our lives seem to be on stress mode until we
fall asleep and I’m not even sure we get a break then.
Giving yourself time to do things you enjoy tends to bring on feelings
of guilt and/or frustration because of everything else pulling at you. That’s because the thought of working on it,
no matter how much you want to do it, feels overwhelming. It is so HEALTHY to take that time to do the
things you are drawn to that can enrich your life.
Often it’s because we don’t know where
to start.
Maybe start by scheduling a Solo Play Date once a week (as suggested in
The Artist Way by Julia Cameron), just to take your mind off the day to
day. As you relax, that’s when the good
stuff starts rising to the surface, revelations, ideas about your ideas, and
just plain fun happens. Schedule it in
your calendar and do not cancel it. Make
it a priority. From there add time a few
days a week, even if it’s only a half hour at a time to imagine the
possibilities for your project and make notes.
It can be helpful to join a group to keep you on track and accountable
to make it happen. When
discussing ideas, concerns, choices out loud with others, pay attention how you
express yourself and you may discover insight about yourself. Those you are sharing with can provide
encouragement, a new perspective when feeling stuck, name your strengths,
motivate each other to keep moving forward, be a sounding board.
Sometimes the best way to get going is to take a deep breath then step
out of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith.
Magic
happens.
