Hang in There

I stare at the screen my fingers hovering over the keys. It’s happening again. The cursor blips at me in a steady rhythm. Blip. Blip. Blip. Nothing. I have nothing to write. Nothing to say. Blip. Blip. Blip. Is this it? The end of my career? The end of my favorite hobby? Blip. Blip. Blip. I close the lip and walk away. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe.

We all will experience a time in our lives that it seems even harder than usual to wake up, go to work, come home and be an adult, and then work on our dreams. We get tired. We get burnt out. We get discouraged. This will probably happen more than once actually. For many it spells the end. The beginning of a task left undone. Uncertain doom sets in as we come face to face with our own shortcomings. It is important to remember that we are not machines. We are people. People connected to a vast world through a vast web of interpersonal and professional interactions. We grow weary. We grow tired.

So how can we stay the course? How can we avoid burnout? How do we stay energized and ready to take on the world? How do we actually rest and take a break from all of this and still preserve the need to finish it all? I don’t have all the answers but I have experienced my own share of ups and downs throughout the years. Writing can be rough on the soul at times and I have learned that it is just as important to take care of myself as it is to maintain my skills. This month we will look at how we can stay healthy, rested, and avoid burnout, so we can be ready to take on the challenges ahead.

The important thing to note right now is that if you are feeling burnt out, discouraged or just downright tired, you are in good company. Your struggles are not yours alone, every dreamer will experience something similar. Every dreamer will face themselves and determine if they have what it takes to see this endeavor through. We are in this thing together. Hang in there. Don’t lose hope.