Discovering a Sense of Momentum: Walking in This World — Week 7

Week 7 focused on small, doable actions and examining procrastination as a creative block. We all have that list of things we need to do that seems to just keep growing, and I feel like mine has grown significantly since leaving my job and trying to figure out what comes next.

So many ideas keep bubbling up inside of me that they begin to accumulate, making that list even longer. There are creative projects I want to start, things around the house I want to tackle, places I want to go, and ideas I want to explore. Sometimes the sheer volume of it all makes it easier to do nothing at all.

Tasks

1. Easy Does It, But Do It

This task was an easy one for me. The list of areas around my house that could use some attention feels never-ending.

The goal of this task was to choose five areas to “neaten up” as a way to use stuck energy productively. For me, this meant tending to a few plants that needed some extra love and finally fixing the hem on a top I’ve been wanting to wear.

Neither task was particularly monumental, but I found that those small accomplishments really did provide a little boost of energy to tackle larger ones. There’s something about simply doing something—anything—that can help create a little forward movement.

2. Geography

This task provided a list of questions to ponder, including: What culture other than your own speaks to you? What spiritual tradition intrigues you beyond your own? What foreign cuisine feels like home on your plate?

From there, the task was to create a collage around an imaginary world where you are the leading character.

Not to my surprise, mine gravitated heavily toward art and travel. I suppose some things continue to make themselves pretty clear, even when I’m not consciously looking for the answers.

3. Learning to Navigate the Learning Curve

The last task of the week simply asked me to think about things I’ve already accomplished—specifically, things I once doubted myself about before eventually learning how to do them.

This was an exercise in encouragement, and one that worked surprisingly well for me.

It’s easy to focus on everything we don’t know yet, especially when we’re trying something new. Looking back at what we have learned is a good reminder that just because I don’t know how to do something doesn’t mean it's impossible to learn it. 

Artist’s Date

As my journey through these books continues, I’m finding that I struggle the most with my Artist’s Dates.

Perhaps it’s the time of year, with travel and the desert heat keeping me indoors more than I’d like. Or maybe it’s the busy life of helping with grandkids, spending time with friends, figuring out my next path, and maintaining a home.

These are all just excuses, I’m aware.

Moving forward, I’m going to try putting my Artist’s Date a little higher on the list. Maybe it can become one of those small things I make a point of doing rather than something I wait to find time for.

Weekly Walk

Heat be damned, I am still making time for my morning walks almost every day.

In fact, on the days when I let myself sleep in a little longer, and the heat ultimately wins the war, I don’t feel quite the same.

I’ve come to realize that my walks are an integral part of my life. They give me time to think, process, notice things, and simply be. More than anything, I love the solitude they provide.

They’ve become a non-negotiable in my morning routine.

Finding Momentum

Overall, this was a good week.

I did allow myself a few extra days to complete the tasks, but part of what I’m working through right now is giving myself grace without allowing that grace to become a reason to stop completely.

Just because something isn’t finished perfectly—or doesn’t happen exactly when or how I imagined it would—doesn’t mean I need to abandon ship.

I think I’ve spent a lot of time believing that momentum means moving quickly or consistently. But maybe momentum can also look like tending to a plant, fixing a hem, taking a walk, finishing something a few days late, or simply picking something back up after putting it down.

I’ve learned that some of the best work comes after a roadblock or a pivot. Sometimes the detour is where you discover something you wouldn’t have found otherwise.