The new year is just around the corner, and everyone is focused on how this year is going to be 'better' than the last...for a whole lot of reasons. This is nothing new, and nothing really specific to the year we've had. We tend to approach every year as if it is going to be 'different', and by different we normally mean "it will be like the past year, without all the bad stuff..."
It is natural to want to build upon what we've already started. We put in the work, we want to get the results. We want to think that we can take all that we have done, learn from it, and move forward in a way that filters out the less desirable things...after all we've learned from our mistakes, haven't we?
But one problem with this way of thinking is we are constantly referencing the bad stuff that has happened. We are repeatedly thinking about what we don't want to happen. Now whether you practice (or even acknowledge) the many 'law of abundance' ideologies, the fact remains you are putting a lot of your attention on what you don't want, on what you've already done that hasn't worked.
Sometimes, what we really need is just to wipe the slate clean. To start over. Toss out everything and begin fresh. This can be very daunting, and it can sometimes feel like giving up. But it can also be amazingly freeing. It can open up doors you never imagined, because you are looking in a new direction.
So how do you do this? The first step is to literally clear away the old. You have to make space for the new stuff. You have to be ready to let go of what isn't working. This doesn't mean you have to drop everything you are in the middle of. But spend some time really thinking about what is working...and what isn't. A lot of the times we know the difference between something that's hard but seeing progress and something that's just us beating our head against the wall...we just don't want to admit that something isn't working.
One way to do this is to put it on paper. Whether you are analytical and want to do a pros and cons list, or perhaps laying out a timeline of advances and setbacks, you can literally weigh each side against the other and see where you stand (don't forget to add in the less obvious things, like how your emotional state is or how it's effecting your relationships). If you lean towards more artistic approaches, you can draw your project out. This might be as simple as getting out some supplies and putting color and shapes on a page, making a picture of how you feel about the project, or it might be more involved, clipping pictures that represent your progress, adding words and symbols, drawing the connections and roadblocks. Looking at the resulting art will give you an emotional feedback that will shine a light on things you may not even realize you were feeling.
After examining the things you are in the middle of, you should have a better idea of which ones you want to continue with...and which you want to scrap. Remember, you can always store a project if you aren't ready to completely toss it. Physically box everything related to it up (if you have computer files, put them all in one place, make a backup and put it in the box, and then put the digital files somewhere you won't see them easily). You can always decide to come back to these stored projects later, perhaps with a new perspective and new energy!
Now comes the more difficult part...figuring out what new stuff you want to pursue! Most often, we struggle with this in one of two ways: we either feel like we have too many choices...or we feel like we have none.
I tend to fall into the first category. There are a million things I want to work on, things I am interested in and want to pursue...way more than I will ever have time to actually follow up on. And this overabundance of options often leads to indecision and paralysis. I can't block out the other appealing options, so I end up dithering about and not actually working on any one thing (or I keep swapping about, and adding new stuff, and eventually I am trying to juggle so many things none of them really get any attention).
The key here is to sort out what level of interest you have in the various things. There are lots of things that fall into the 'mildly curious' category for me. I find them interesting, but it's an idle, intellectual interest. I don't actually think I'll ever become a professional blacksmith, for example, but I am still fascinated by the art of blacksmithing, and every once in a while I'll find myself following that rabbit hole of information. Strangely, these idle pursuits tend to hijack my brain more than things that I think would actually be a big part of my life.
When I sit down and just ask myself "do I really want to know about this thing," I get deceptive answers, because yes, I do actually want to know about all the things. The more relevant question to ask is, "which of these two things do I feel want to have a bigger role in my life." Keep it to two things at a time, and just keep comparing until you end up with one thing that you want to work on right now. You can keep the rest in a list of stuff to look into at a later date, but if you allow yourself to focus on more than one thing...you won't actually focus on anything.
If, on the other hand, you find yourself on the side of not feeling drawn to anything in particular, it is time to go fishing. When you go fishing, you might bait your hook trying to draw in a particular type of fish...but you really have no clue what's under the water. You toss your line in, and wait to see what bites. When you don't feel like you know what you want to do...cast a line! Ask your friends what kinds of stuff they like doing. Scroll through Instagram or Pinterest (or just Google random things...). Start a list of anything that seems remotely interesting.
Sometimes you will find yourself being drawn back to the same types of things, over and over, and it's obvious to you what you want to work on. Other times you will end up with a list of stuff you might be interested in, but you're still not sure. You can work through this list the same way as you would if you had a ton of things you were interested in....still asking what you would most want to add to your life. Don't worry if you don't feel super attached to it from the start. Often, as you start learning about something, you can tell if it is going to be a short term thing (where you learn enough to know it's not really for you), or if it starts to grow on you (becoming something you really want to devote yourself to).
The great thing about starting something new is you don't have to make it a huge commitment! You can decide you want to work on something for a month...that's about long enough to know whether it's a good fit for you. If it's not, well you crossed something off your list, and now you can try a different thing. If it is, then you can decide how you want to further your studies and work with the topic.
Remember, just because you take something up, doesn't mean you can't put it back down again. It doesn't matter how long you've worked, or how far you've gone....if something's not working for you, stop doing it! Clean your slate, take some time to sort out what you'd rather be doing...and start fresh.
No comments:
Post a Comment