Week 8: The Spirit is Willing, but the Flesh is Burnt Out

Burn out is real.

In America, our lifestyle is very go go go go go....then go some more. Five day work weeks that spiral into two day weekends when we attempt to pack in all the life we couldn't experience Monday to Friday.

Then there's the day jobs, the responsibilities that we must attend to, the blessings we prayed for, the unforeseen circumstances that require immediate attention, and the side hustles that are either dreams or making some real money.

So when do we rest?

Of course, at night, when the lights turn off. But what if your mind keeps going (at least, mine does), so rest feels less like rest and more like another weekday, additional time to belabor stressors or simply lay in the dark and wonder what will happen next.

What do we do if we want to write, but the words simply don't emerge?

First, give yourself some grace. We're not robots. We're human. We have souls and that's probably why we gravitate to writing in the first place.

Second, go stand in the sun. I'm totally serious. Go for a walk with a loved one or by yourself. Volunteer to be the one to walk the dog. Feel the warmth of the sun, watch the wind rustle the leaves, revel in the moment ducks cease to fly and skid to a landing on the still surface of a pond (that's my personal favorite). Take stock of the small miracles that surround you, even just being physically able and blessed enough to walk the dog.

Third...and this is only if you really want to write no matter what. Set a timer for five minutes. Five minutes, that's all you need. When that timer starts, write. But really WRITE. Let your fingers fly on the keyboard, don't judge the words that emerge, don't even track them. Simply write. See what happens. You could have the beginnings of a story or a poem or maybe it's just a fun exercise. The beauty of it is that you still wrote. It was still useful for your practice.

Lastly, don't admonish yourself for feeling the burn out. You will have days where the fatigue will get you and that's okay. When that happens and no words appear, then read. Read your favorite book. Read a book you've never read before. Languish in words. Soon enough, you'll have the energy to keep writing.