My First Writing Challenge (#2)

At the Well by Daniel Ridgway Knight
Not sure if my characters will look anything like them.

 

Sorry, tonight's post does not contain any progress on the Jack and Jill story. I almost did not blog. However, the need to keep one habit going inspired me to get on the computer and type away. Hopefully,  I will return next week with more about our two orphans and their new "friend".

Sigh. I have been doing that a lot lately. Even in my journals. It's the second week of this self-imposed writing challenge, and I have nothing to contribute. Not once this past week did I sit down and work on the story that I began last Sunday. Doing it last minute is not an option. In the distant past, there was thrill with creating an entire project on the eve of a deadline. Not anymore. I am too old for that stuff, too sick of being in that situation.

This morning, I found myself wasting away two hours lost in my thoughts about things outside my control. Time ticked away as I daydreamed one scenario after another. Then I would distract myself with doom scrolling through my Google feed, and reading comments on Instagram posts. While I follow a lot of historical costume makers--don't ask, because it's hard to explain--the algorithm constantly feeds me rage-inducing content. And, of course, I click. Damn rabbit holes. The Google feed is more difficult to ignore. There is useful, valuable information, but it requires peeling back layers and weeding through rant-inducing nonsense. In the end, my scrolling produced nothing. No problems were solved. No epiphanies discovered.

So, I decided to take a drastic step. Now, I believe that forming a habit requires a series of small, effective steps in order to become permanent. Cold turkey produces fleeting results. But there are few absolutes in the world, and some times a shock to the system is necessary for progress. It worked with Facebook. I deleted it from my phone, and only checked it when I was on a computer (which is barely once a day). Within a week, I was cured. Some times an entire week will pass before I log into my account.

This morning, my Google Feed (which is accessible by swiping right on my phone) was turned off, and the Instagram app removed from my phone. Nearly twelve hours have passed. And I don't miss any of it. Well, maybe one part. It's hard to ignore those lovely ladies sporting their historically-inspired costumes that they meticulously researched and sewed. But it is necessary for now. They would totally understand.

Now, if I can only take charge of my daydreaming. Or at least focus it into something productive. A lack of negative content from doom scrolling and comment diving should reduce some of the motivation of daydreaming. Reducing certain anxieties, unrelated to the internet, would assist my goal, too. That requires a different approach, and a different kind of will.

For now, let's see what I do tomorrow with all this new found time, and reduced negative energy.