Here’s an interesting way of getting started with something. Last year, I went to a two week conference. One of the exercises we had to do, was find a way of starting that got around all the road blocks and procrastination that we put in the way of the most scary (for us) things we need to do.
First of all, we watched this video of Sarah Kaye, a wonderfully inspirational performance poet:
Now, if that wasn’t enough to inspire, we found out that Sarah is a founder of Project Voice, and along with her colleagues, visits schools and talks to school children. One of the ways she gets the kids to break through in writing is by making a list of 10 things they know to be true – any 10 things, Then to pick one and write about it.
That’s what we did for the class at the conference, last year. And this is what I came up with, that evening after class.
I Need to Get Out of My Way!
I need to get out of my way.
I know I get in there, without even thinking about it.
Unaware of the sabotage I am about to perform.
In pleasing others, I am not pleasing myself.
I have missed opportunities, left things unsaid, said things I didn’t mean
and meant to say things when the ‘time was right’,
only to find that the time had passed altogether.
I need to get out of my way.
I know I get in there. In helping others, I do not help myself.
I have made things harder, over-extended,
found myself in unwanted situations
and found situations were not what they seemed.
I have missed opportunities.
I need to get out of my way.
I know I get in there. In caring for others, I have not taken care of myself.
I have gone to the back of the line.
I have stepped gracefully and nobly aside,
without thinking about the consequences for the plans I planned to make.
I need to get out of my way.
I know I get in there. I have the capacity to do much more,
to achieve so many things which the voice in my head says aren’t ‘proper jobs’,
or are ‘not serious enough’.
Or I’m just not cut out for.
I need to get out of my way.
I know I get in there.
I have wasted time, waited for the right time, mis-timed, lost time
and still there are so many things I want to do.
I need to get out of my way.
I know I get in there.
But I am getting out of the way today.
Writing this, seizing the moment, grasping the nettle,
holding on with both hands to this second, in this day, to do something for myself.
to fulfill a dream, a need, a wish.
I am out of my way for now.
I may get back in there, but I remember me now.
The things I need to do,the things I wish for, hope for, dream of.
I hope your weekend is filled with all the things you need. Be kind to yourself.