Things always feel easier when they have a rhythm.
Post-baby, I’ve just started getting back into running. Just starting slowing with a little 3km run/walk loop near my house. Yesterday I headed off and it felt really hard. The first 5 minutes of jogging felt like they were never going to end, but I managed to push through. About half-way into the run I realised that it no longer felt like such a struggle and noticed that I was breathing (and almost making a soft moaning sound) in time with my footsteps. This rhythm had just emerged without me consciously creating it, and as it did the struggle seemed to dissipate.
Starting anything new (or restarting something) is tough as it can seem like it’s mostly struggle. But rhythm seems to only emerge through the doing. Over time and with more runs under my belt, I know that I’ll spend more of my runs in the enjoyable rhythm mode and less in the lung-aching struggle mode!
I’m sure the same is true of writing. It’s something that I want to do, and want to do better and more frequently, but right now it feels like a struggle. But like running, it’ll only be through ‘doing’ the writing (rather than thinking about or planning the writing) and pushing through the struggle that a rhythm will emerge.
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