Push through the mess

When I haven’t exercised in a long time, it shows: I’m stiff, the moves that used to be manageable for me are a struggle, and I find myself pausing and/or modifying more than I would like. I do the exercise anyway, knowing that my form is not great and I am moving slower than the instructor. I will still get some benefit out of it and, in the process, remember why I used to enjoy exercising in the first place. I know after a few more sessions, my body will become used to it again and my movements will be better.

Like exercise, writing is a skill that needs to be built constantly. When I sit down to write after not having written for a long time, I am at a loss of where to start. Then I push through, accepting that what comes out might not be good. I’m crossing out words and adding different words and I know while I’m writing it’s not going to be a great read. But as long as I write something, it’s enough. Sometimes, something good does come out of it! In the process, I shut out the editor and just let the writer flow, recapturing the enjoyment I get out of writing. I know the more I put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, the better my writing will get over time.

It’s great when inspiration strikes, but that’s unreliable. Writing is often messy. If not on the page then certainly in the mind. But it’s only by working through the mess that the message can come through.