How to write when you don’t want to.

Today has been the trickiest day for me in my new ‘writing everyday’ regime. I slept well but woke later than usual. Organised myself for dance class and took off. I sweated like a sweaty person through 3 classes (they’re only 30 minutes each so it’s not as hardcore as it sounds) and returned home.

As I walked through the front door the state of disorder really struck me and I was unable, as I mentioned in a previous blog post, to walk past it and go write. It had gotten to the point where there was so much clutter around I actually felt a bit claustrophobic. So I tidied and cleaned and rearranged until I felt calm. I made myself a cup of tea and thought:

I really cannot be arsed writing today.

Surely one day off will not a habit break?

As I sipped and ruminated on the idea of skipping writing my blog post today a different feeling overtook me. One that I’m not very used to. It was a feeling of motivation and it was coming from my own self! My brain was telling me to go sit down, make the time, follow through with my plans. So here I am.

What I’m discovering is – one day off may not a habit break, but more days on will a habit make. My bum is in the chair and I am writing. Whether it’s any good or not is irrelevant, the important thing is that I am here. Where as in the past I would’ve given in to that first feeling of can’t be arsed and thrown myself on the couch to binge watch some BBC comedy, not so today. And I’m not naive enough to presume there won’t ever be a day where I don’t come and sit here and write but the reason will be a damn sight better than ‘I can’t be arsed’.

Writing is hard and some days are harder than others, so here’s a little motivational poem to encourage you to persist even when you don’t wanna:

Don’t be so lazy, you right bloody tool

Go do some work or you’ll feel like a fool

The TV’s not moving, there’ll be time for that

But not ’til you’ve written some words you wee brat

Don’t say ‘tomorrow’, today is the day

Right now is the time, so get on your way

Take out your notebook, your favourite gel pen

And write ’til your finished, and then write again

All of the things you’ve been thinking about

Write from your head and write from your heart

Never quit writing, today is the day

The world’s waiting to read what you have to say.

Voila! Encouraging no? Pour yourself a cup of tea, pop your excuses in the bin and write. You’ll feel better for it xx