Showing up. No matter what.
...especially when 'writer's block' creeps in.
“I do not believe in talent - I believe in hard work and sincerity.” - That was me at 25.
Today, I would like to add another quality to the statement -
It’s being consistent. Especially if we are pursuing anything creative.
The profound habit of being consistent caught my attention when I adopted a habit of “showing up” after reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, last year.
It’s a simple book explaining how habits are formed and with interesting tools to develop new ones successfully.
Everyone adopts a different perspective or lesson from the same book.
What I successfully grasped and implied after reading Atomic Habits is - “to show up, no matter what.”
I applied “Showing up” to exercise and was moderately successful.
On the days I don’t feel like working out, I show up and play the workout video or simply lay out the mat or wear gym clothes.
What happened was, that whenever I took that one tiny step, I most likely moved my body for 5 minutes - a couple of stretches or a few squats and in a few days - a habit was formed.
I believe everyone will agree that some exercise is better than no exercise!
I still have to be better at this though. The progress is slow and I still need to figure out ways to be regular when I am travelling. Please share if you have any tips.
Showing up to write!
I am a storyteller and writer - aspiring to do this full-time (and be rich too 😂).
Firstly, thank you so much for reading this, it means a lot to me. Your feedback is also most welcome.
If you have subscribed too - I pray you enjoy a great meal today, travel to a place you’ve always wanted to visit by this year-end and your greatest desire be fulfilled in the next two years! I wish for this with all my heart!
Now, after I joined Substack, I have been reading many articles about writers’ processes, the challenges, and how people deal with writer’s block. Continuously, one thing kept coming up - being consistent!
So, when I showed up and wrote every day (published or not) it worked like magic!
It made me consistent.
When I did not feel inspired enough with good ideas for my newsletter and my mind was not flowing with words as it happens on good days, or when the external environment is chaotic with traffic sounds, I still showed up and wrote - sometimes just one line.
Today, it has become a habit. Even if I don’t publish it, I write something every day - and on most days, thankfully, it is more than one line!
Do you believe in writer’s block?
On great days, an amazing piece will come up within minutes and sometimes it will take time - even days. I faced the infamous “writer’s block” just a few days ago when there was a break in my routine.
So, here I am, showing up to write - even if I struggle to get back to my creative flow!
There are 5-6 topics in my 'story-bank' that I plan to write about but instead, I chose to write this.
Last week, I read a series on creative block by Rishabh Khaneja.
One of his sub-titles stayed with me and I have decided to use it as a mantra for this year - Discipline over Inspiration!
The article made me reflect on my journey as a creative professional and I realised that there have been times I used to wait for inspiration and ideas to strike me.
If you are pursuing anything creative, you must have been asked “What inspired you to write this story / make this art / create this design?” I do not like this question at all!
Because writers/artists/designers/creators will know - sometimes we just do it! We just show up, scribble, play with the colours and either something comes out of it or we get inspired mid-way.
Everything need not start with “Inspiration” or probably even “purpose”!
I also feel “purpose” is overrated, at times! But purpose can bring discipline.
And I’m a fan of discipline and organization with openness to calculated flexibility and nuanced spontaneity!
Currently, I do not rely on inspiration or purpose as a starting point for my writing pursuits.
It’s discipline and showing up, no matter what! I don’t have to write or create masterpieces every single day but every day I can show up and write.
I believe most of you who read my newsletters have creative pursuits. Please feel free to open up in the comment section to share what is the one thing you do when the creative juices are not flowing to your liking!
I am Namrata Gohain, a designer-turned-storyteller, writer and content producer. I document stories on responsible travel, crafts, cuisine, slow living and my creative journey.
So real.
Like you, I have also built a writing practice on persistence but I was also inspired by the idea of “creative cross training” which I first encountered in Suleika Jaouad’s Substack. When I can’t write I do some other creative task and that seems to help.