Tag: Resistance

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Notes from a Season of Writing

Writing goes through its own seasons, much like life in general does. Right now I’m in a season of change. What was comfortable yesterday has become stifling. And what was safe and a source of pride has somehow morphed into a daunting obstacle. In the immortal words of Bruce Springsteen, I want to “change my clothes, my hair, my face” – and a few things besides. Actually it’s not about appearance at all. It’s about what’s going on under the hood. I’ve been slacking on my diet, I’ve been slacking on exercise, and with the resultant lack of energy, I’ve Read More …

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Labor Day

The history of Labor Day is no doubt interesting and well worth reading up on. Honestly, though, it’s not the first thing that comes to my mind on this particular day. I’ve always liked this day as a bridge between the ease of summer and a season of harder, more focused work. A day of reflection and renewal, and a day of re-commitment to my goals and values. “Labor” is a word with many connotations. On the downside, it carries a whiff of the unwanted, like “chore”, just harder. The proverbial salt mines come to mind. And, yes, writing can Read More …

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Productive Procrastination

I’m currently in a slump. The writing just doesn’t want to flow. I’m fumbling my way through possible plot twists, and they all propel the story forward – straight off a cliff. That’s the trouble with us discovery writers. We need to write in order to find out what happens next, and sometimes what happens next is just not very interesting. It’s not like it’s the first time this has ever happened to me, and I’ve always found a way out of the slump. I know that I will this time, too. I trust the process. Sooner or later, the Read More …

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Reading vs. Writing

In my world, reading and writing have an unfortunate tendency to clash. As a matter of fact, reading often kicks writing’s ass. So last year I made a New Year’s resolution to read less. That didn’t work out so well: I nearly doubled my reading for that year. This year I didn’t even bother with a resolution. I’m kind of resigned to the fact by now that my default mode is reading. I read for entertainment, for information, for research purposes, for inspiration, for an escape from the mundane, and, yes, for procrastination. I read in the morning, if I Read More …

LK Lohan

Resistance

A few years ago, a little book fell into my hands. Steven Pressfield’s “Do the Work!“. A quick, easy read with gimmicky formatting (at least the version I have), and yet the contents hit me like an axe between the shoulderblades. It boils down to this: Resistance is the universal enemy, an unthinking force of nature that pushes us to act against our self-interest, our values, and our better judgement. It’s an ever-present threat that’s hard to recognize because internally it shows up in so many ways: Discomfort. Confusion. Laziness. Inertia. Preoccupation. Rationalization. The outward reactions it triggers are just Read More …