A little stuck moving forward with your goal? Accept a challenge … in an unrelated area.
Uh oh. I just accepted a challenge. The last time I did this …
The last time was Nov. 1, 2012 and it’s still going: Write Every Day. I didn’t expect to keep going for 1,971 days. Side effects of accepting a what-I-thought-was-just-a writing challenge have been:
- Closing my company,
- Moving to Europe,
- Surpassing most dreams I’ve had since I was 21.
Damn. I just got the chills rolling through my entire body as if I stuck my toe in an extension cord.
The 1, 2, and 3 above don’t have much (if anything) to do with writing. Which is why I just accepted
A 21-day challenge to go without:
- Sugar
- Alcohol
Why? You’d think I’d want to lose weight (I do). But it’s not the “side effect” reason I’m not-so-secretly shooting for.
You see, stories are pouring through me. Fictional characters show up in my conscious life as if I’m dreaming–but during the day. During a meeting with basketball coaches lines from characters I barely know come through my mind as if a wispy figure is whispering it in my ear.
But there’s something in the way. I happen to know what it is. It’s actually a who it is. It’s easy. It’s clear.
It’s me.
I’m in the way. I’m in my own way.
These stories are fighting to get out. It’s like a sale at Penny’s* and they’re rushing the doors.
Only the doors are closed. They’re not open yet.
The doors are opening. I better get out of the way.
Here we go.
P.S. The alcohol will be easy as I haven’t been drinking much lately (as I’ve chosen morning creative clarity instead). But the sugar? That’s going to take some getting used to.
* You’d have to be from a certain area and a certain part of the world to get this reference.
