You have probably noticed that I kinda disappeared for the last couple of weeks.
Oh, you didn't notice?
Well, I took a break from creating content for the last couple of weeks. I needed a reprieve from all the things. So I used my birthday (July 3rd for the 2 of you who were wondering) as a jump-off point to take the break. The last thing I released was "When is enough, ENOUGH?".
Side note: I hope y'all like that post. Probably one of my favorites of all time. Because it asks a question that we all need to ask ourselves, because if you read this blog or ones similar to it. More than likely, you will be very wealthy over time and it can be easy to stay on the treadmill of financial success.
Now I am back but man it is ROUGH getting the gears turning again.
This is like going on vacation from work for an extended period, returning, and then sitting at your desk for like an hour trying to remember your password. (BEEN THERE).
Trying to rediscover the routine that I had previously established is taking me some time to do because, during my break, I found other things to fill that time.
For example, I rediscovered my love for reading actual books. In the span of three weeks, I read three books (well technically two, one of the books I got bored and didn't finish). I got so many insights from these books (you can expect to see a ton from them). However, there lies the dilemma. How do I take all that insight and put it on paper or in a video or a podcast?
Most people believe creativity is a feeling of inspiration that you get and then you just make magic.
Although that does happen, Creativity is more of a muscle.
One that must be worked regularly or like any other muscle, it atrophies.
You have to create avenues for creativity to take place, you have to put the time in consistently to make things that people would call "creative". It is the daily reps that you build up over time that eventually begin to produce something magical. It is the time spent thinking about various ideas, mashing them up, throwing them together, making absolute TRASH, putting it out, taking the feedback, and repeating the process. That is TRUE CREATIVITY.
The problem is when that cycle is broken, by you taking a break (if you ever wondered why creative people don't take breaks this is why). It can be hard to get the ball rolling again. Here is the crazy irony. You need to take breaks in order to allow your brain to free itself from the regular cycle it has been on and see things differently (but this is a whole aside).
However, just because the creative muscles may be a bit atrophied or rusty. It does not mean that creativity is gone. Rather, it just needs a bit of grease to get the wheels turning again. The skills are still there they just need to be reignited. It's like riding a bike (just started riding again for the first time in years). It will feel a bit awkward at first but you quickly get back into the flow of it.
The beauty is I don't have to start fresh. I just have to find the point of least resistance in my brain and use that to get back in motion.
Which led me to this post.
This is my way of finding the least resistance. By documenting my current thoughts at the moment, it is getting the gears turning again.
The same thing goes for our finances. (y’all knew there had to be something else)
We all have seasons, where everything is going smoothly. We are on top of everything. We don't have to think too much about our money situation. Everything is just working.
Then we have seasons where we might do too much and things get out of control. Especially, in this Post-Covid world, we live in. WE all want to get out of our houses and see the world again but inflation is at decades high so it is costing us an arm and a leg. Combine that with the fact that rent, mortgage, energy, and food costs are rising rapidly. It can feel like A LOT!
You may feel like I did before writing this post. Asking yourself, "WHERE DO I EVEN START?"
The answer: The Point of Least Resistance.
Meaning Go back to the basics. Ask yourself:
Is the Emergency Fund in place?
What is my debt situation looking like?
What do my expenses look like? Do I need to make a budget?
What is my savings rate? Am I investing 20-25% (goal) of my income or enough?
The point is life throws curve balls at us. Sometimes, we have to take steps back relearn the basics, and then push onwards.
It’s time to get back on the bike. Some of us might need training wheels and that is OKAY!!