When "Keeping it Up" Feels Overwhelming AF (A Different Approach to Consistency)

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"I know I have to be consistent..."

I've seen so many versions of this sentence show up in my inbox over the years, almost all followed by some variation of, "...but how do I actually do that?"

I was looking through some of the questions I've gotten in the past, and this one in particular was a prime example:

“My main concern about (sharing my writing) is the doubts I have about not being able to keep it up. I tried it before some years ago, I wrote a few posts and then - nothing. So what can I do to keep the posts coming without me losing interest immediately? And then I have Instagram and Facebook posts to write as well...”

Reading this, I can't help but wonder if losing interest is more of a side effect, not the root of the problem here. If you attempted this before, it didn't work out, but here you are, all these years later and it's still something you feel drawn to do? That doesn't sound like an interest problem. 

Phrases like, "not being able to keep it up," and, "keep the posts coming," and, "I have Instagram and Facebook posts to write as well," all stand out to me here.

What does "keeping it up" really mean?

Take a moment to answer this for yourself. What's the first thing that came to mind? 

The truth is there's no real definitive answer because consistency means vastly different things to different people. It's dependent on your current circumstances, your prior commitments, your energy levels, your aspirations, your time available, your health... 

And yet we still try to cram ourselves into the box of, "I need to post daily on Instagram," or, "I need to publish a new article weekly," or whatever method-based prescription we've been told works best.

Works best for who, exactly?

Hey, maybe that does work for you and feels like a great fit. (kudos!)

But I'll tell you right now, it doesn't work best if you're struggling to keep your head above water and feeling overwhelmed AF. I've seen someone speak passionately about producing daily content on top of everything else they were already doing, only to later see a new podcast episode show up in my feed about how much their depression had amplified due to extreme overwork and severe burnout. 

PLEASE, don't force yourself onto the content conveyor belt because someone told you that's just how it is. I promise you, it's not.

Words matter.

And if you're like me, the word "consistency" can hold a heavy obligation. 

The demand to stay consistent has been absolutely crippling at times, to the point where it has straight up paralyzed me from doing anything at all, or even get started in the first place (and god, you gotta love the cruel irony there).

It's a looming pressure that, when you boil down to it, mostly originated from me wanting to maintain appearances and almost "prove myself" to other people. Not to better serve myself, the people in my life, or this community, aka all the people who matter most to me.

Cue the "ah-ha" moment. 💡

The thing that finally clicked for me last week, snapped into place by a single word I'd heard probably hundreds of times before, but somehow had never personally connected the dots with.

Consistency vs Sustainability

There's a huge difference between guilting yourself into, "I HAVE to consistently do x-y-z, otherwise I'm failing to keep up," versus reframing your approach to, "What can I do to make this a sustainable practice that fits in with this season of my life?"

And, "Do I really need to do this particular thing... at all?"

Sustainability is about intentionally creating an approach to your work that supports your needs as, first and foremost, A HUMAN FUCKING BEING.

+   Maybe you're a parent or caregiver, or you have a chronic illness, so the physical and mental energy you have available greatly varies by the day.

+   Maybe you're going to school or work a full-time job (or both), and it gives you only a few small windows of time to work on your own projects.

+   Maybe you're like me and have ADHD or trouble focusing, so you actually need a bit of structure and routine to creatively flourish.

+   Maybe you're recovering from burnout or healing from a traumatic experience, and you need some extra space to process all those different emotions. 

+   Maybe you can't pinpoint an exact reason why you're feeling off, but as much as you love your creative work, you need some time away from it.

Your particular life situation is unique to you, and so it's up to you to uncover what you need. It's about meeting yourself where you're at. Working WITH yourself, not forcing into someone else's time frame, methods, or definition of success.

Small, sustainable steps (even with some gaps in between) are going to take you so much further than rushing to burn the candle at both ends until it snuffs out completely. Trust me, I've done it, and it takes a helluva lot more time in the end just to recover. 

There are sacrifices tied to whatever choices we make, but this puts you in the driver's seat. It lets you intentionally choose what feels right for you to let go of, as well as stand firm on what you're not willing to give up. You get to make that call.

This is your game. You make your own rules.

A few ways I'm experimenting with this concept:

Not committing to an exact posting schedule with these letters for the time being

Writing this type of long-form content generally spans over multiple days, sometimes even a couple weeks. In the past, I'd try to cram that whole process into one or two days, desperate to meet some arbitrary schedule I'd stuffed myself into. Everything was rushed and I put so much stress on myself because of it. I started to dread writing and the anxiety it brought up, so I'd put it off until the last minute, and pretty much just loop around that same cycle over and over again.

This time around, I've been finding ways to bring more ease into my overall writing process. I'm still figuring out what feels good, but sending these letters once or twice a month seems like a nice flow for now. We'll play it by ear, and I'll keep ya posted. 🤘

Focusing on this community instead of social media

Instagram especially come to mind. I've focused on it and other social channels in the past, but tbh, it's a major time suck for me and not where I really enjoy spending much of my energy these days. Maybe I'll revisit things in the future, but for now, I'm okay with letting go of "strategic social media growth" and letting it be whatever feels organic. If I end up posting something, cool. If not, also cool. At this stage, I'd much rather focus on growing a fresh collection of written work and further connecting with the community I have here. 

Working with my coach, Marissa Burdett. 

I've known Marissa almost since the very beginning when I first started blogging back in 2015. I worked with her about a year ago to get through some big mindset shifts, and I knew I wanted that same support and accountability for this next chapter. Marissa's the Gandalf to my Frodo, and a damn fantastic coach. You can find her over at Ampersand.co. 

Prioritizing my mental health over productivity. 

If you read my last letter, I talked about the major breakdown/burnout I experienced several years ago, and ever since, I've tried my best to always put my mental health at the top of my priority list.

Lately, it's shown up as waking up earlier for some quiet, alone time in the morning before heading to the day job, taking time off and not forcing myself to use every free moment for my business, listening to more non-business-related podcasts like Lore and Tarot Bytes, lots of reading, having regular calls with friends and fam, making dinners and spending time with my partner, the occasional video game, and writing. A ton of writing. 

(And ironically, taking these breaks and allowing myself to have plenty of space from my work has actually been helping me be way more productive).

 
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My usual creative workspace aka the kitchen table.

Some of these things might change or shift over the next few weeks as I put them into practice, but that's okay. It's all about trying things out to see what feels good, checking-in with yourself, and then adjusting your course as you go. 

But you can't adjust course if you never untie your boat from the dock.

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P.S. While I was in the process of writing this letter, one of my favorite podcasts "Letters From a Hopeful Creative" released a new episode on finding more joy and ease in your business. It has a lot of great crossover with this whole concept of sustainability vs consistency, so if you're wanting to dive more into the idea, I definitely recommend checking it out.


 

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Allison Barclay