Why is it so hard to get started sometimes? (And what to do about it) by Andrea Schroeder

I made a commitment to work through my Creative Journal Magic Kit, and do a creative journal page EVERY DAY THIS SUMMER. I am having a hell of a time keeping that commitment. Even though I love this so much! And still, it's hard.

These commitments we make to ourselves are important!

Signing up for classes. Promising to do yoga or journal or meditate or spend time with your dreams. This. Stuff. Is. Important. So when we sign up and then don't follow through it feels gross! It's like inviting your inner critics to have a a big, critic-y party in you head.

We let other things get in the way because this stuff is also terrifying.

It's the inner work that makes outer change possible. And when change is possible then things might change! Scary scary territory! It's so fascinating to me how we crave and fear change at the same time. So I made this commitment to Creative Journal every day to give my new dreams some space to grow this summer. I do this stuff for a living so I should have no problem holding that commitment, right? Right. Then I ate popcorn and watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

So what do we do about it?

First: be gentle. Assume there is purpose behind the resistance. Insisting that you're not resisting, you're just busy or whatever, only strengthens the resistance. Then: be gentle. Have permission to be in resistance! It's a legitimate stage of the Creative Dream Incubation process. Important things are happening when you're in resistance - deep inner shifts that are bringing you to a place where you can begin. You are activating the superpowers of Perfect Timing and shoring up your inner resources. You are preparing for adventure. Next: be extra-super gentle. Let yourself be with your resistance without forcing anything. For me this means leaving my creative journal out and open on my art table. Sitting down and looking at it even if it's just for 20 seconds. Yesterday I wrote 2 sentences about where I'm at:

  

Not much but I creative journaled for a few minutes anyway. I can tell my inner critics that it's not much but it's something. It throws a real damper on their stupid critic party.

I'm also resisting getting back into my yoga practice.

So I put my yoga mat down on the floor and left it there. This morning I woke up, came downstairs and stepped right onto it and stopped, noticing "Oh my gosh I'm on my yoga mat!". Since I was already there, I did a few stretches and it felt amazing. Not more than 2 minutes but it's something. If you're resisting, and you just stop looking at it, it will fade away and all opportunity to change will fade away with it. This means your dreams will wither and die. But if you keep looking at it, and spend even 20 seconds with it each day, being gentle and remembering that there is purpose to resistance and that this is a legitimate part of the process - you'll get through it.

With a paintbrush in one hand & a glitter-gun in the other, Andrea Schroeder lovingly mentors men & women who want to lead creatively abundant lives — and do ‘impossible’ things, with ease & joy. Express the greatest parts of who YOU are, at www.CreativeMagicAcademy.com.