Man, I'm tired. I'm having the best weekend--full days and time with one of my best friends (a 50 year friendship!). But it's late and I am so very tempted to skip writing this post. I've heard many writers talk about how hard writing is. Before I started writing consistently I did not get it, but I totally get it now. It's hard. It requires focus and commitment. I am having trouble mustering up either right now.
Last summer I was walking and running with a goal of covering 1,000 miles. Needless to say I had many days I thought about cashing in on the challenge. I was often so over it by dinner time, but to not fall behind, or at least not too far behind, I needed to get back out after dinner. Even if only another mile was all I had to give, it was always worth it to go. Not only was it another mile under my belt, it was me showing myself that I was doing what I set out to do--it was me keeping my word. I didn't just step out of my comfort zone, I stepped out and stayed out the entire summer. And it changed my relationship to running and it changed me.
So now I'm back in that with this writing challenge. I don't have to write this tonight, or any other night, for that matter. No one made me walk and run all those miles last summer and no one is making me do this. But I said I would and I'm going to show up one more day and do what I said I would do. Yes, the actual miles mattered, and the actual writing likely will too. But the big deal is that daily disturbance of my comfort zone. And the great thing you achieve isn't really all the miles or all the posts, it's all the magic that comes afterwards in all the ways you never had the ability to imagine.
I know that my comfort zone is in my rear view mirror until I hit the last day of this challenge and it's going to be hard for awhile. But my body got used to the miles last summer and I think my mind will rise to this challenge, too. Before I know what I will achieve by doing this work, I have to actually do the work. And my comfort zone must be disturbed. Gauging by my current discomfort, I would say I'm well on my way.