Shifting Gears

I’ve been feeling discouraged when it comes to a couple of projects I’ve been working on. Here are two things I remind myself when I’m uninspired (wow, there’s a clickbait-y sentence):

1. I control the reactions I have to my own emotions. Many different emotions will surface over the course of a day. I could be angry because I’m hungry, for instance. But I can decide how I behave when those emotions come up. Instead of getting too discouraged and saying I’m done with this play because I’m angry at it, I gauge the situation, label the emotion, and notice I’m actually angry because I’m hungry. Then I eat a sausage.

2. Things change all the time. It’s OK if one plot structure I’ve been toying with for days ends up not working. New elements can be introduced that move the story in a more fruitful direction. We have to practice shifting gears. I’m sorry to break it to all you earth signs, but often things come up that throw your plans into disarray. It’s fine. We have the toolbox to handle the changes. Shift into the new reality and use your problem-solving skills to move forward.

“Moving forward” may mean taking a break. It may mean setting the work aside for awhile. But I’m learning to accept that things come up and everything might have to take a backseat. Life is a series of shifts, and it’s best to accept that they’ll happen.