Overcoming Writer’s Block: Embracing a Daily Writing Ritual

Cultivating a Daily Writing Ritual

Why, despite a sea of advice and a head brimming with ideas, do I find myself anchored to the spot, unable to consistently sail the waters of writing on Medium? 

This question has become a constant thorn in my side, nagging me every time I try to ramp up my publishing frequency. Successful writers on Medium tirelessly preach about the importance of publishing frequently. Four to five times a week they say — is the golden ticket to success. And yet, here I am, oscillating between bursts of inspiration and stretches of inertia, caught in a maddening cycle of inspirational highs and motivational lows. 

But what if this isn’t just about ticking off a habit or kicking procrastination in the butt? What if this whole dance of push and pull with my creative energy is a deeper call to explore the crevices of my soul?

Why can’t I be like Nike and ‘Just Do It’?

So, why can’t I get my shit together and just do it? It’s not for a lack of ideas; my brain’s a damn idea factory. The real battle is in mustering up the energy and motivation to breathe life into these ideas consistently. This got me thinking — could diving into the murky waters of my psyche shed some light on this erratic journey? Could understanding the psychology of being stuck be the key to a more steady and fruitful writing path?

In this quest, I’m not just looking to untie the knots of habit formation or face off with writer’s block. I’m on a mission to understand the deeper, often elusive, psychological forces at play. Let’s take this walk of introspection together and dig up the roots of this perplexing dilemma.

The Shadow of Imperfection

So, I’ve got this nagging fear. It’s like a relentless gremlin on my shoulder, hissing, “Psst…your work…it’s crap.” Why am I so freaked out about churning out something less than perfect? It’s not like I’m performing for a stadium full of eager readers (though, shoutout to my small but mighty band of followers, you rock!).

But here’s the thing: deep down, I’m terrified that my output is a direct reflection of my worth. Maybe it’s a pipe dream, thinking that if I keep smashing it out of the park with my articles, I’ll hit the big time. Fame, fortune, the whole shebang. But let’s be real. The secret sauce to getting heard on platforms like Medium is flooding the feed with content, right? 

Nah. That can’t be it. I want to dish out the good stuff. The kind of reads that leave you entertained, make you think, and maybe even change the way you see the world. That’s my jam, that’s what gets me fired up. It’s about striking that sweet spot between quantity and kick-ass quality.

Shadow Showdown 

This fear of mine, this dread of producing half-ass, sub-par work, is me facing off with my Shadow. You know, that elusive part of our unconscious mind where all our repressed shit hides. It’s the elusive puppet master pulling the strings from behind the curtain.

Well, today’s the day I turn the spotlight on this sneaky bastard. It’s time to drag this fear through the mud and out into the open. It’s time to have a good, hard look at it. We’ve all got a bit of this fear, this worry about not measuring up. It’s human, it’s real, and it’s about time we had a chat with it. 

Chatting up my shadow self, I hit a revelation: my fear is a load of crap. It’s a big, fat fib I’ve been feeding myself. I’ve been the architect of my own barriers, erecting walls in my mind that don’t exist anywhere else. It’s time to tear those walls down, brick by brick.

Embracing Your Inner Muse

Moving beyond the Shadow, let’s talk about another fascinating slice of our psyche Carl Jung threw into the mix: the Anima and Animus. So, what’s this got to do with my struggle to write? Buckle up, let’s dive in.

The Anima and Animus are like the yin and yang of our gendered self, the feminine side in men (Anima) and the masculine side in women (Animus). In the trenches of writing, these archetypes manifest as our inner muse, dishing out creative gold, and our inner critic, hurling self-doubt bombs our way.

Take my Animus, for example. The guy’s a wildcard. One minute he’s flooding me with ideas, the next he’s left me high and dry in a creative drought. It’s like being in a relationship with my creativity — some days we’re in perfect harmony, some days he’s nitpicking everything I do, and other times we’re not even speaking to each other.

Musing and Smooshing 

Bridging this gap starts with acknowledging this inner muse isn’t just some airy-fairy concept; it’s a tangible part of our being. Tuning into this muse isn’t always straightforward. It’s not always a loud, clear voice. Sometimes, it’s subtle, sneaking in through random insights or those bizarre, vivid dreams that leave you wondering, “What the hell was that?”

Heck, I find sparks of inspiration in the weirdest places — a random line in a movie, a phrase in a book, chilling on my backyard lanai, or even in a grocery store parking lot.

As for today, right now, feeling as motivated as a sloth, I asked myself, “Why the hell can’t I get moving?” That’s when it hit me: Maybe I need to write about this very struggle. Because, let’s face it, sometimes the muse isn’t just the source of inspiration; sometimes, it is the inspiration.

The real trick, the golden key to this whole shebang, is staying open. Open to the inner dialogues, to the unexpected moments of ‘aha!’, and even to the frustrating silences. It’s about using these signals as a compass for our writing journey. They guide us, nudge us, and sometimes even shove us in the right direction. 

Mastering the Art of Daily Scribing

The face-off with my shadow isn’t just introspective navel-gazing; it’s a full-blown clash between my ego and my True Self. My quest to nail down a daily writing ritual is my True Self’s cry for growth and expression. But then there’s my ego, cozy as hell in the status quo, stubbornly pushing back against any change. Comfort, as seductive as it is, is a straight path to nowhere.

Deep down, my True Self knows precisely what I want to write about, but my ego — the conscious, snug-as-a-bug part of me — is scared shitless of the new and the unknown. Yeah, my ego, the inner party pooper, always playing it safe.

Kicking my Ego to the Curb

So, how do you shove that comfort-loving ego aside and let your True Self take the wheel? It’s all about strategy, guts, and a bit of cunning. Here’s my no-BS guide to getting there:

1. Small Steps, Big Leaps: Start with baby steps. Think of it as outsmarting your ego. Today, a paragraph; tomorrow, maybe two. It’s like prepping for a marathon — you don’t just wake up and run 26 miles.
2. Schedule It, Do It: Set a non-negotiable time for writing daily. Lock it down like it’s the most important appointment of your day. Even if it’s just 20 minutes, guard it like a hawk.
3. Embrace the Mess: Perfection is the ego’s bedfellow and your arch-nemesis. Write those messy first drafts. Let your thoughts run wild without judgment. After all, you can’t spruce up a blank page, but you can always tidy up a cluttered one.
4. Mind Games: Outwit the ego. Convince it you’re just doodling with words, not crafting the next literary masterpiece. Once you hit that flow, the ego steps back, and your True Self takes over.
5. Celebrate the Wins: Every word you get down is a slap in the face to the ego. Celebrate these small victories. Whether it’s a sentence, a paragraph, or a full-blown article, each word is a step closer to where your True Self wants to be.
6. Reflection and Adjustment: Keep tabs on yourself. What’s hitting the mark? What’s falling flat? Tweak your approach as needed. This journey isn’t about sticking to a rigid plan; it’s about finding what resonates with your True Self.

Remember, the ego is a sneaky bastard, always ready with a cushy couch and an excuse. But your True Self is the part that craves expression, growth, and fulfillment. By taking these steps, you’re not just committing to daily writing — you’re engaging in a daily revolt against stagnation, opting for growth over comfort, and authenticity over playing it safe. So, gear up, brace yourself, and let’s start knocking that ego off its throne, one word at a time.

© 2023 Evelyn Ann Rose. All rights reserved.