It’s been nearly a month since I have been able to write regularly every day. Since I got caught up with my day job last weekend, it has been a struggle to restart my writing habit. It’s been downright hard.
Not only have I been working extra, but we left on a trip to see family for a week. Since being here, I have continued to be exhausted and have not been getting excellent rest at night.
This morning, everyone is still sleeping. I slept alright. But, the beauty is that it’s just my iPad and me with a cup of coffee. And that is a beautiful thing.
The Worst Part of Getting Started
When getting started, the most challenging part is simply starting. It is easy to allow all the excuses to keep you from getting back into your habit. This morning, I wanted to watch a TV show or read a book instead of write.
Now, my youngest daughter is awake. Thankfully, my wife is allowing me a little bit of time. Not intentionally, but she brought her into bed for a snuggle, and I can’t keep going.
However, the start was hard. It took me a good 15 minutes to finally sit down and write. Even then, getting started to write after that was difficult. However, I have found myself getting into it.
Be Happy With Starting
I know the likelihood of me finishing this post is slim. I have found that the house is waking up around me. My father-in-law and his dog are waking up. My daughter is waking up.
Yet, I am happy with getting started. Heck, I may publish this in a day or two. But, my goal is to get started. That has to be enough. Since getting started is the hardest part, once you do, it’s hard to stop again.
Most of all, I have found that my writing habit creates a lot of peace in my life. So, getting started is worth it. And when you can get started again, you will be happier about it.
3 Steps to Get Started
Suppose you are like me and haven’t been writing in a while. I wanted to give you three quick steps to get started again. While this might seem similar to creating a writing habit, the restart is enormous.
Set your time and place to write. While on vacation, I am at the dining table first thing in the morning(5:00 am) with a cup of coffee.
Write from your ideas list. If you don’t have an ideas list yet, do this first. Write down ten ideas today that you would be interested in writing about. Then come back tomorrow and write from your list.
Sit down and write. Yep, that’s right. Just start doing it. Don’t worry. It isn’t pretty. Heck, you may want to scrap your story. But don’t do it. Write it and move on.
Writing doesn’t have to be complicated. Getting started can be, and it’s okay. But, the best way to get back into your writing habit is to start with these simple steps. Don’t let the days, weeks, and months go by without returning to your practice.
You won’t regret getting back to writing. No one ever does.
J.R. Heimbigner is a #1 Bestselling Author on Amazon who loves helping people grow in their faith and help writers become authors. You can connect with him on Medium, his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Substack!
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