Should You Show Up Even on Your Worst Days?

It’s easy to make hay while the sunshine lasts. But when it is gloomy and cloudy then it’s a real test of your character to show up.

My topic of discussion is: Must the show go on even when we are going through the storm?

Should we take a break and take it easy on ourselves? Or should we be unrelenting and write no matter what?

There is a thin line separating using tiredness as an excuse from genuine exhaustion where you can’t take anymore.

I am a big proponent of not going against the flow. We should row our boat with the flow.

But our minds work in mysterious ways. What if your exhaustion is just an excuse made up by the mind? You never know.

You want reasons to remain comfortable in your cocoon. Any new habit takes a toll on our limited mental resources and hence is avoided by the mind. There is ample scientific data on this.

So, how will you know if by ‘forcing’ yourself to write you are worsening your mental health or overcoming the inertia to make a good habit?

Now let me share my story.

I stopped writing on all the platforms when I was going through a low phase last March. It was just too much to take.

I couldn’t bring myself to get up from the bed much less open the laptop and write.

But still, I wrote in my diary. I had no intention of sharing this with the world. Writing just for the sake of writing, releasing the pent-up energy.

But you might have valid questions on your mind.

Like even if you are not going through depression but just feeling out of sorts and have no enthusiasm to write then is it a good idea to force yourself to write? Will your output in that state be worth reading?

I say the act of writing is complete unto itself

It’s not necessary that each piece of your writing has to be put out into the world. Or each piece of your creation must resonate with or be acknowledged by the reader.

When we eat, do we appreciate ourselves for the act of eating?

No, right?

We do it for its own sake. We should approach writing in a similar manner.

Write for its own sake.

I think if we approach writing with this mindset we would then start showing up even on our worst days.

And I am very sure that writing will make us feel a whole lot better. Instead of sitting idle and ruminating on useless thoughts, we could channel our dormant energies into creating something valuable.

I say the act of writing is complete unto itself.

My take

We should not use setbacks and discomfort as excuses to stop us from creating. Yes, personal tragedy is a good enough reason to take a break. But I have seen many who even use these tough situations as inspirations to create even more touching content.

When we don’t stop eating even on our worst days (unless we are clinically depressed or have an eating disorder) why should we stop writing?

If you say that you lost your job today. And you are too anxious or too sad to write but you eat that day regardless, then that means that writing is not as important as eating to you.

That means you are willing to feed your body but not your soul.

Takeaway

• Showing up every day shows our true character
• Treat creating like eating. It’s as important as survival
• Writing need not entertain or inform readers, write unto itself

Well, more often than not, writing about personal issues or a tragedy will make us feel good. Just like talking to a closed one in such a situation does.

Moreover, a voice deep inside us knows what is good for us. Listen to that voice openly. And try to be wary of that treacherous voice, which is also inside us, that is misguiding us against writing our thoughts and feelings.

Writing liberates us. So we should write wholeheartedly every day.