Breaking Through the Block!

Writer’s block. Ever been there? You find yourself staring at a blank screen or paper wondering where to start. So you begin to spelunk the caverns of the mind hoping to come across some nugget that will lead to greater gold, but to no avail as you’re left groping in the dark. I’m sure we’ve all been there at one time or another, whether it related to writing a term paper for school or trying to put words on a note that would comfort or encourage a loved one who was struggling. Or maybe it came when trying to write that first blog post of the New Year…

Obviously that’s where I currently find myself. Having begun this blog a few months ago, I had resolved to keep the momentum going in 2016. My initial goal was to post immediately in the New Year, but we were traveling so clearly that plan was thwarted. I told myself I’d begin once we got home, but as we all know it’s nearly impossible to think creatively when readjusting from a jarring 2-hour time change. Then the responsibilities of real life set in, and once again that New Year’s resolution got pushed to the back burner. So here it is, almost midway through January, and I decided enough with the excuses…it’s time to write! But what about? This morning I came across this quotation by author Charles Bukowski: “Writing about a writer’s block is better than not writing at all.” That seems logical, so I’ve decided to just start writing.

As I come up against this block, which has caused me to stumble out of the gates with regard to one of my New Year’s resolutions, I wonder what “blocks” you are facing in this New Year? Obviously one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to get in shape. I recently read that gyms move in extra equipment on January 1, only to move it back out on January 2. Now whether or not that’s true, it speaks to the fact that we often begin the year with such great intentions for self-betterment, but then the excuses begin or the demands of real life set in and we throw in the towel. So how can we reverse that trend in 2016?

Whatever “block” you’re facing in this New Year, I believe the quotation above applies. You’ve got to just start! When it comes to starting something new, I’ve found in my life that the most difficult step is the first. The reason for this is because that first step signifies the transition from the known to the unknown. From the comfortable to the potentially uncomfortable. From what’s safe to what’s risky. But what I’ve learned is that if we’re willing to take that first step, it’s amazing how often the steps that follow become easier. I recently experienced this when engaging in a 30-day detox (which I blogged about). The prospect of engaging in such an endeavor seemed so daunting, yet once I began not only did I immediately recognize the positive results, but it also became apparent that it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. I’ve become convinced that this doesn’t just apply to getting healthy physically, but to any endeavor which requires that we take that daunting first step.

Thinking about this in relation to my faith, as a life-long Christian you’d think that by now I’d be accustomed to taking these first steps given that Jesus repeatedly calls us to step out of our comfort zones for the sake of His Kingdom. Yet too often I shy away when faced with the prospect of stepping into something new. Perhaps you can relate. The beauty of a New Year, however, is that it gives us the opportunity for a fresh start. But there’s nothing more frustrating than having those great intentions crumble under the weight of fear and timidity. As I ruminate on that, my mind is drawn to this scripture: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).When it comes to being successful with our New Year’s resolutions, what better words of encouragement than that?!

What if this year we made a different kind of resolution. Rather than resolving to achieve specific goals like weight loss, financial freedom, etc., what if we simply resolved to make 2016 the year of first steps. Obviously doing so would encompass all of those specific goals, yet perhaps this would actually make them more achievable. I’d argue that one of the reasons we often fail to achieve our New Year’s resolutions is because we’ve fixed our eyes on the last step instead of the first. Our goal weight. Our dream job. Our ideal relationship. We want that guarantee of the end result without being willing to take the incremental steps toward achieving it. So when that first step proves to be difficult, painful or uncomfortable, we immediately step back into our safe space. Let’s learn a lesson here from toddlers. We celebrate like crazy when they take their first steps, even though one of their next steps will undoubtedly lead to them falling flat on their face. We too may fall flat on our face in this New Year, but when the year comes to an end we’ll have much to celebrate if we were at least willing to engage in the risky discipline of taking those first steps.

So even if you’ve already thrown in the towel on your New Year’s resolutions, there’s no rule that says you can’t have a restart. Rather than giving up because you’re almost to mid-January and have yet to achieve your goal, be content with taking even just that first step. And then when the fear and timidity show up, which they will, remember that those are not from God, and that you’ve been given a spirit of power, love and self-discipline. With that as our motivation, let’s step into this New Year ready to break through some blocks!