Thanks pal, your words here mean so much to me. Was a brutally tough writing week. But found a way to show up and get something out which it often what life boils down to. Makes me so happy and proud if you're drawing any level of inspiration from what I do, so thank you for the kind words :)
And your perspective to zoom out and focus on who you are as a whole, not just the one singular outcome (this essay), is wise and apt. Just the reminder I needed this week.
On exerciser's block: If you don't carry the logs, who will?
Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment here, Adegbaju :)
"Going Negative" has certainly been a useful tag to notice how I'm feeling or how my mood is trending and to step in to change my behaviour before I'm all the into those negative, depressive, unhelpful emotions.
I hope you can find the words to pull yourself out of your writing struggles. Just know, you are not alone. And it takes a strong person to press on despite challenge. Good luck!
I love how the term "going negative" is a verb, not a noun. It's not a label, but an action. Something you can control, given the right circumstances and frame of mind.
I think it's amazing how this essay emerged from such a crisis, Jack. But I could imagine it came out right after you remembered to let go. I hope to do the same the next time I go negative.
This is such a great callout, Linart: something you can control. That is a fantastic point. Labelling it as I start to experience has allowed me to recognize where I'm trending and then do something about it.
Thanks for reading and for your support, pal. You are absolutely right again. I only wrote this essay once I stopped holding on so tightly. I hope I can do the same next time I go negative too :)
"But because I lose faith in my ability to do the things I’m good at unless I’m actively and successfully engaging in them." Yes! What the heck is this about anyway??
I'm so happy to hear that is the line the resonated with you, Rick! I wasn't sure if other people would get that. But I certainly feel a level of doubt seep in unless I'm doing the thing.
It's some strange human wiring I suppose that, like most of our modern problems, can be traced back to the fact our evolutionary hardwiring still lives in a cave and kills woolly mammoths with spears and clubs.
I'm discovering more and more lately that the things I used to beat myself up about or think are really weird usually have perfectly good explanations.
I laughed at how overly dramatic this line was: "...is this guy going to filet me in my sleep?"
I admire you for getting this out even during a tough writing week. As many adages go, it's not the easy victories that lead to growth, it's times like these. When it feels like we're walking on nails, pulling our hair out. I bet you learned a ton in the process of squeezing this onto the page, and for what it's worth, it turned out super insightful. Sometimes we just need to stop looking so damn hard for it.
HA! Thanks, Jeremy. Initially I had "murder me in my sleep" but that felt a little to vanilla so I found a different, hopefully more humourous verb.
Thanks so much for your support and wise words here, pal. You are absolutely right. Hearing those words from you means a lot because my slightly masochistic wiring likes to endure suffering without recognizing that I did a hard thing and should be proud of it. Maybe it's the British in me but I struggle to recognize my own wins and often downplay them. So thanks for the reminder and I'm glad there was some level of insight in these words.
Thanks Fis, appreciate you. Leaning into the struggle seems to be the only way through. If you try to go around, your struggles will haunt you for life. Excited to go read this throwback piece... pesky as they are the squirrels have something to teach us all.
"Cogitate" -- thanks for teaching me a new word, Martha! Had not heard that one before and it's great.
It sure is a slippery slope. I've found that label has been super helpful in recognizing when I start to spiral downwards. It enables me to realize where I'm heading and change my behaviour to fix the problem before it gets worse.
Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment, means so much to me :)
So happy to see you push through a tough week and keep the publishing promise to yourself.
Inspiring strength for me to draw on in my own writer’s (and working out) block. Really.
Proud of you buddy. Says a lot about the man you are becoming. Much more than any essay itself.
Thanks pal, your words here mean so much to me. Was a brutally tough writing week. But found a way to show up and get something out which it often what life boils down to. Makes me so happy and proud if you're drawing any level of inspiration from what I do, so thank you for the kind words :)
And your perspective to zoom out and focus on who you are as a whole, not just the one singular outcome (this essay), is wise and apt. Just the reminder I needed this week.
On exerciser's block: If you don't carry the logs, who will?
I love the tag ' Going negative'. This is why some writers say there's no writer's block. It's doubt finding expression.
By the way, struggling with the same right now. Delaying writing to read this. Thanks. Just write
Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment here, Adegbaju :)
"Going Negative" has certainly been a useful tag to notice how I'm feeling or how my mood is trending and to step in to change my behaviour before I'm all the into those negative, depressive, unhelpful emotions.
I hope you can find the words to pull yourself out of your writing struggles. Just know, you are not alone. And it takes a strong person to press on despite challenge. Good luck!
I love how the term "going negative" is a verb, not a noun. It's not a label, but an action. Something you can control, given the right circumstances and frame of mind.
I think it's amazing how this essay emerged from such a crisis, Jack. But I could imagine it came out right after you remembered to let go. I hope to do the same the next time I go negative.
This is such a great callout, Linart: something you can control. That is a fantastic point. Labelling it as I start to experience has allowed me to recognize where I'm trending and then do something about it.
Thanks for reading and for your support, pal. You are absolutely right again. I only wrote this essay once I stopped holding on so tightly. I hope I can do the same next time I go negative too :)
"But because I lose faith in my ability to do the things I’m good at unless I’m actively and successfully engaging in them." Yes! What the heck is this about anyway??
I'm so happy to hear that is the line the resonated with you, Rick! I wasn't sure if other people would get that. But I certainly feel a level of doubt seep in unless I'm doing the thing.
It's some strange human wiring I suppose that, like most of our modern problems, can be traced back to the fact our evolutionary hardwiring still lives in a cave and kills woolly mammoths with spears and clubs.
I'm discovering more and more lately that the things I used to beat myself up about or think are really weird usually have perfectly good explanations.
I laughed at how overly dramatic this line was: "...is this guy going to filet me in my sleep?"
I admire you for getting this out even during a tough writing week. As many adages go, it's not the easy victories that lead to growth, it's times like these. When it feels like we're walking on nails, pulling our hair out. I bet you learned a ton in the process of squeezing this onto the page, and for what it's worth, it turned out super insightful. Sometimes we just need to stop looking so damn hard for it.
HA! Thanks, Jeremy. Initially I had "murder me in my sleep" but that felt a little to vanilla so I found a different, hopefully more humourous verb.
Thanks so much for your support and wise words here, pal. You are absolutely right. Hearing those words from you means a lot because my slightly masochistic wiring likes to endure suffering without recognizing that I did a hard thing and should be proud of it. Maybe it's the British in me but I struggle to recognize my own wins and often downplay them. So thanks for the reminder and I'm glad there was some level of insight in these words.
...way to lean in and get out bud...all of us is worth paying attention to and learning from...stoked you found out by way of squirrel...i have been there (https://cansafis.substack.com/p/i-am-turning-into-a-squirrel)...
Thanks Fis, appreciate you. Leaning into the struggle seems to be the only way through. If you try to go around, your struggles will haunt you for life. Excited to go read this throwback piece... pesky as they are the squirrels have something to teach us all.
“Going negative”- that damned slippery slope we all have experienced!! The end result here was good to read and to cogitate upon- thank you. 👊🏼🤔✌️
"Cogitate" -- thanks for teaching me a new word, Martha! Had not heard that one before and it's great.
It sure is a slippery slope. I've found that label has been super helpful in recognizing when I start to spiral downwards. It enables me to realize where I'm heading and change my behaviour to fix the problem before it gets worse.
Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment, means so much to me :)