Old habits die hard
I hate starting anything without a solid plan. If I haven’t overthought it until I don’t want to do it anymore, then I probably haven’t thought about it long enough (R.I.P to every idea I had and never let leave my notes app). I also enjoy a good template. I like to see someone do something similar to what I want to do and then work on a way to do it so it fits me. Harmless enough. But what always ends up happening is I get too caught up in the details of how they did it. Then it turns into me trying to figure out how to get it just right so that it appeals to other people instead of appealing to me.
One of my most recent light bulb moments has been the realization that not everything I do has to be done well the first time, perfectly planned out, or look like someone else in order for it to valuable or valid. If I enjoy doing it and putting it out there is satisfying to me, that is enough. When I came to terms with this, I felt a peace around my creative process that I’ve never felt in adulthood.
But yesterday, while thinking about this blog and all the things I want to work on this year, I almost got carried away in the planning phase because I was trying to mimic another blogger who I like. As soon as I realized what I was doing, I stopped, refocused on my why and made a new plan that fit my goals. I was surprised by how relieved I felt when I trimmed some of the fat and focused on what I actually wanted to achieve.
The lesson here: your way is right too.
Allow yourself to admire your own process and don’t forget why you set out to do what you do. Sure, someone else might be doing it in a way that seems better, but your goals and theirs aren’t the same.
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