Starting Small to Move Forward
How I Got Unstuck with One Sentence a Day for Seven Days
Sometimes we have these big lofty goals, or maybe even smaller ones. I had this idea that writing would help me work out the concepts and details of what I wanted to share, and to make all the connections from all the research rabbit holes I like to dive into. So I took a content writing course, and it gave me the tools and techniques that I needed to get started.
As I started the practice I actually discovered I liked writing. But almost immediately the brakes were on. I would research solutions and try all these techniques for overcoming procrastination and working on executive function skills. Set up the right environment, use a timer, schedule work blocks, use work buddies on zoom (otherwise known as body doubling), etc. None of them worked. My mind can put the brakes on my efforts bringing along the recoil of frustration and shame.
Stopping for a moment and with loving compassion towards my inner child I sometimes have to realize that maybe I haven't built up the muscle towards that new habit, that new practice. Or maybe I am stuck for some emotional reason. Or maybe it's a habit that I have. Or maybe I have the frustration that I don't give it the time I want to give it because of loving obligations towards family and career precedence.
Even though I don't have proof, I have faith that I can accomplish that goal. I know I belong with those that are my new peers in doing what I want to do. So I keep on looking for solutions.
Then I remembered once reading a piece of advice for new writers that you have to build up stamina and can't expect to write for long periods of time right off the bat. This writer recommended starting with 30 minutes at a time. I tried for 30 minutes at a time, and even that wasn't working.
“Just do it” wasn't working either. Willpower is in short supply for some of us. It's not a matter of not trying. And it's definitely not a moral failure. Some brains are just wired differently. It takes a huge amount of energy to do something out of obligation, and that is not sustainable.
But then I came across this post from
called “One Sentence a Day, November's Daily Observations” . They were lovely, reflective, nature related sentences. These sentences were simple, sometimes from the heart, sometimes observational, sometimes wondering. And I said to myself hmmm…I could do that for a week. It's even smaller and doable. That sounds like fun! The idea started lighting me up. And…I can add a daily photo to it too. I recalled how I always loved how poet & philosopher David Whyte posts black & white pictures with a vignette or landscape to accompany his poems. Like one of his latest excerpts called “Routine”. He is an excellent photographer and I always wanted to do that too.
That same afternoon someone was expressing how even if they wanted to, they couldn't find time to write because of all the business and family obligations they had. They had expressed this for a couple weeks now. That's when I took the idea and I challenged them to start small by writing a sentence a day.
Did it work? I'm happy to report that my friend had a day or two that they missed, but the task was small enough where they could play catch up. Then it clicked for them and one day they actually wrote a complete article.
As for myself I did write and took a picture every day. A couple of those days I could feel the resistance. But it was “just a sentence”. And yes even the sentences sometimes got edited. As far as the pictures go, I made it easy for me and they were done with my smartphone camera. I even gave myself permission to not worry too much about the quality so as to focus more on the essence. During this practice I also discovered what hours were conducive towards writing. Sometimes the picture or video clip inspired the sentence, and other times it was the other way around.
Not only that, I kept on writing. A day after I completed the week of a sentence a day, I worked on an unfinished essay for a couple paragraphs. And lastly, the next day I worked on this piece about starting this small experiment. The initial draft was done in one sitting. I feel so accomplished that I broke the rut.
Will I have other blocks? Probably, but now I know I can get past blocks by breaking things down to their smallest components and starting the habit with small, repetitive, and easy tasks.
Small tasks become accomplishments that initiate that forward movement, and though small in scale, in reality have big consequences.
If you're curious below is the link for the first Note in the chain link of all #7days7sentences + pictures series. Each Note will have a link to the next one in the series. And if you would like to hear more about the intersection of photography and social connection I invite you to subscribe. Thank you for your attention.
I love this! Reminds me of the art of titration! Last month, my spiritual coach/meditation teacher encouraged me to start meditating for five minutes a day for a week. After that, I could build up to 10 minutes a day. The intention with all of this was to create a new habit based on the knowingness that five minutes was enough. And I love this for you: one sentence was enough. And it got the momentum going!