In my life, I've created a schedule that works for me. I see my clients Monday through Wednesday, and Thursday and Friday are for getting things done (errands, primping, etc.), and working on other projects (like this blog, for instance)! This Friday was the chosen day for work. The only things on my schedule other than sitting in my office to create (blogs, books, podcasts... you name it), were going to the gym, meditating, and having dinner with my mother. But this past Friday, the dreaded "dip" happened.
What is the "dip," you ask? Some call it a slump, writers call it writer's block, some even call it depression. But we all know it. It's the feeling that creeps in when we lose our momentum. We feel less excited about something, less energized, and downright defeated. It's the feeling that -- if we don't fight to push through -- is the cause of why we give up on things and stop going for the gold.
On this particular day, the dip revolved around pushing forward on the projects for this very website. But regardless of the topic, the dip can happen for anyone. It can happen when looking for love, changing careers, going for a promotion, losing weight, trying to live a healthier lifestyle, trying to improve a relationship with your spouse or child... Whatever the topic, the process and feelings are the same when you're trying to change, overcome, or reach for something.
At the beginning of something new, everyone has a natural charge. You feel motivated and excited for what the future holds. But then there's the middle -- the part where you've put in all of the blood, sweat, and tears, yet you still haven't seen the fruits of your labor. You've either hit rejection, haven't lost a pound, or (in my case) don't know if anyone is even paying attention to the work you're doing. This is the defining moment for those who make the dream come true, and those who don't. This is where perseverance shines. The momentum we need has to come from within. We can't rely on outside help or reassurances -- otherwise we won't make it to the finish line. Here is where we have to work hard to generate what came to us so naturally in the beginning. We have to purposefully get ourselves into those feelings again, recharge, and forge ahead.
For me, the best thing to do in those moments is to give in -- temporarily. And I know it's hard. It was for me. I feel like my time is so precious, and now it's been wasted. But you need to honor how you feel. When I hit a dip, it means I haven't paid attention to feelings lurking beneath that need to be addressed -- feelings of fear or insecurity that have to be dealt with, so I can re-open my channels for creativity.
As with everything in life, there is always a lesson, and always a reason. Because of my dip yesterday, I uncovered some feelings I didn't know I was having, and have been re-energized. And look -- it gave me my material for today's blog, so I didn't have to experience yet another dip, and hopefully, it's helped to re-energize you so you can stay the course, and not get defeated when your dips come.
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