Posts Tagged ‘beginning’

Just #Begin, the Rest Follows

Posted: January 18, 2024 in Stimulus Space Response
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Just begin, the rest follows.

Getting started is the hardest part. Momentum can sustain itself.

There is a reason that beginning is so hard in our minds. Inertia. We need the extra effort to get started. A great external example is a space ship. The rocket blast to begin the launch and get the ship into space.

I can remember countless times, the internal feeling of some invisible, probably imaginary force pushing against my body. Making me feel mentally, emotionally, and physically uncomfortable. How am I supposed to start something new when I don’t feel good?

That is a natural thought. That is a normal reaction. I doubt I’m the only human in the history of the world to experience a fantom, physical form of resistance.

Steven Pressfield, one of my favorite authors, has built a wonderful career on his wisdom towards the concept of resistance. His book, The Art of War is the book I’ve gifted the most alongside The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday.

Resistance is the rule. Consistent effort is the exception. If that wasn’t true, we would be living in an unrecognizable utopia, probably resembling the world in Star Trek.

I’ve been practicing yoga on and off for fifteen years. I have to say on an off because I can’t in all honesty say I’ve been practicing consistently for that long. I can probably say I’ve been practicing yoga consistently for two years, maybe three. The first time I did yoga in 2008-2009, I felt great. I loved it. I knew then I wanted to make it a regular part of my life.

Yet, I still to literally this very day, five hours ago when I did yoga, I procrastinated starting it for like an hour at least. Even though it makes me feel physically good whenever I do it. Even though it’s good for my physical and mental health. Yet the resistance to starting, is both strong, and dug in like a tick.

But every time when I actually start doing yoga, every time, before I’m done with my first down dog pose, I feel good, am glad I started, and finish the entire routine I set out to do whether I’m winging it or using a guide on YouTube.

It’s like that for everything. Maybe not everything feels good when we start. But when we start, and are actually doing the thing, taking action, putting forth the effort, it’s easier to keep going. It’s definitely easier to keep going than our resistance and procrastination would lead us to believe in our inner monologue.

Just begin, the rest follows.

It’s Okay to Start Again

Posted: December 19, 2023 in Anarchy Journal Constitutional, Stimulus Space Response
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I was going to start blogging again in May. I was inspired to write about one of the graphics that come up at the end of a Daily Calm mediation on the Calm app. I pinned the post to my Facebook and LinkedIn pages. I opened up an account on Medium. I wanted to write online again.

I journal daily or every other day. More consistent day to day, or bi daily journaling is one of the 2023 New Year’s Resolutions I actually stuck to. I’ve been writing but I stopped thinking about blogging again. I blogged regularly for years. That stopped when I started on a new path in life. The month before I moved was the last time I blogged.

I’ve thought about starting again a few times. This was going to be the year. The meditation blog/blurb was in May. It’s December. I was going to start again. Halfway through the year I was going to start again. Now the year is over.

So I’m starting again now. Not waiting for the new year. I’ll still put it on a resolution list. I’ve been making those simple and doable in recent years and sticking to a handful each year. So I’ll put blogging on the list…again.

I love writing. I love to write. I love to learn new things and write about them. I have wanted to write about the things I’ve learned on subjects like fitness, philosophy, spirituality, supplements, nightlife, psychology, and human nature for years now. Post an image or a quote or a link to the thing that inspired me to write, and blog about it in order to share it with the world. Not for clout or fame or attention. But for the good stuff. The deep stuff. The stuff that connects us.

And that’s why I’m writing and posting this. This is essentially a typed out journal piece to myself about starting again. A piece of content that I can look back on hopefully a couple dozen, a couple hundred or a couple of thousand blog posts down the line, and cringe with laughter.

But maybe one person reads this an feels like it is okay for them to start again too. Because it is okay to start again. For any reason. At anytime. It is okay to start again. No one is watching, no one cares, we’re all focused and busy living our own lives, focused on what we’re doing individually, so you might as well do what you want to do anyway.

I want to write. I want to share my writing. I want to write about the things I learn in life that help make me a better person. The things that help keep me sane. The things that help me get through hard times. I want to write about the things that help me live. For the good reasons. To help others, while helping myself.

Sharing means caring after all. What’s better to share than help? Sharing what helps me get through this thing called life. Sharing ideas. Sharing art. Sharing my…gift? Sharing what I love. Sharing, that it’s okay to start again.