I have to admit, I really wanted to call this blog, “The Stupid Shit That Gets in the Way.” But, 90% of the time, I hate profanity. I really do… however, sometimes, you just have to make a point! And for some reason, using profanity just seems to emphasize it more, am I right? That aside, this is a blog for all the things that keep us from expressing our authentic selves.
So, I get up each morning and I have all these “healthy rituals” that keep my life on track… but ironically, they also derail my creative efforts. What I mean is, I am a pretty self-disciplined person. I get up, make my bed, exercise, spend some time planning and organizing, and review everything that needs to get done on my to-do list. But today, I decided to change things up.
I didn’t make my bed
I didn’t exercise
I didn’t clean my dishes after breakfast
I didn’t even take a shower!
And I certainly didn’t clean up the mess in the bathroom before leaving the house.
But… I made time to write. And that made my whole day right. So why do we let the stupid shit / stuff get in the way? Because we’ve been programmed as humans to do what’s right – to do what’s responsible – first. And while we do have to take care of the necessities of life, too often we allow our to-do list to keep us stuck in what I like to call the “self improvement phase” verses the self-actualization phase.
To get into the self-actualization phase, we first have to establish better balance in our lives. Balance between doing and being; balance between creating and working. If anything, tip the scale in favor of creating your life’s work rather than creating the best version of yourself. This is because the best version of yourself can only emerge after you take a step out into the unknown and start bringing your ideas into the world.
So don’t let the chores, the endless to-do’s, the errands, or heaven forbid – work – get in your way. If you find yourself stuck in a rut, go out with your friends. You will come back with new ideas, I guarantee it. And remember, you’re never going to be lying on your death bed wishing you had a cleaner house, but you may have wished you took more time to express your creative gifts.