Creative writing is hard for me. I’ve used Facebook to start jogging. To start meditating. To accept that I had ADHD and get on medication. But writing with any sort of consistency has so far proved to be elusive. I make a public promise to write, to post weekly, and start working on a new piece. Then something comes up: work, or kids or life in general – and it all gets too much. I am distracted or overwhelmed. I think about it. Play with sentences in my head, but never return to finish what I started. I feel embarrassed, and I start avoiding Facebook again. Until the urge to write, to share, to get stuff out of my head and into words gets me again and I make another commitment.
So here we are. At another commitment. Another learning moment in my writing practice.
I know that no one is judging me on this. This drama is only really in my head. But I want to succeed at this. To get into the space where I can reflect on my life, in written form, consistently, and feel comfortable sharing it. To make it a part of my life that sticks with me no matter what else might be going on.
I hate. HATE. Failing at this so consistently.
So what are we going to do differently this time? What’s my plan?
I think I failed earlier because I focused too much on results, not the process of writing. I promised new posts, not writing itself. And I never built a real structure for writing to happen. So how do I make writing into a habit? Into something that I can do daily no matter what may be happening in my life. I’ve read enough books about forming new habits… but remembering to apply them is another matter.
I will need a cue. A clear and short activity. And a reward at the finish. Rinse and repeat. Until we have a habit loop.
Cue: a phone alarm, in the later afternoon when I am mostly done with work but still have a bit of energy left.
Routine: open my document with my writing and do 5 minutes of writing. On anything. In any format.
Reward: Post on Facebook. Then go downstairs and eat a spoon of ice-cream. (Tillamook Old Fashioned Vanilla in my freezer…)
Back up Cue 1: alarm at 9pm to do 5 minutes if I did not in the afternoon.
Back up Cue 2: alarm at 9am to do 5 minutes of writing if I did not do it the day before, or if I know I will be busy in the afternoon.
(I REALLY hate to fail again at this)
I might write for 5 minutes only. And it will be terrible and forced. But I can always do at least 5 minutes. Rain or shine. Sick or stressed. I can do 5 minutes. I might end up writing more. But the goal is the process, the consistency, the habit formation, NOT getting to new posts. When those happen, I will get to share them. But the main success here will be the daily practice of writing.
Ok. 3 daily alarms have been set.
5 minutes of writing finished. (30 actually.)
It’s day 1 of Writing Habit. Post. Ice cream. See you tomorrow. And let’s see how it goes.
