This past weekend I finally completed one of the chapters of my book. No more edits, it’s done! I still have 5 more chapters to get finalized as well as the introduction and ending, but still, this is amazing news for me. Because for so long I’ve been procrastinating. I’ve had everything pretty much in place for so long, the truth is the book should have been done a long time ago! I shared on my socials that I have wrestled with perfectionism as well as several fears and that’s why I believe I’ve allowed myself to procrastinate. So how do we move from this place of procrastination to progress toward our dreams?
I’ve found that our dreams are the very last thing to get onto our calendar. We fill our calendars with all other obligations that we must do, and then we look at our dreams and tell ourselves that we just don’t have time for it. We don’t make the time. No matter who you are, what you have currently on your to-do list, what your responsibilities are, or what your job is—your dreams still matter. And if you’re not working on your dreams at all, chances are you’re probably at least a little bit unhappy.
I believe that the dreams that are placed in our hearts were always meant to be a part of our life’s journey and our purpose here on Earth. If you ignore this, or you’re not doing anything to work toward these dreams, you’re not living in alignment with your true and highest self.
I’ve known all of this, while still allowing myself to not take great action toward what I want to do, and what I believe is my purpose. You can’t allow any outside voices to get into your head or any feelings of fear at all. Your dreams matter, your art matters, and you must create it for yourself. Share it with the world, and if it resonates with others great. We must enjoy the process of it all. And when I reflect on this book project that I’m working on, I can honestly say I enjoy the process so very much. I love it.
So there’s no easy magic answer to break ourselves of procrastination. I think we must take accountability for our progress or lack of progress. Are we telling ourselves any excuses? Could we be better at managing our time? Where in our calendar can we put time to work on our dreams? This makes me think back to a video I watched where Mel Robbins says “No one is coming”. No one is coming to make sure you’re working on your dreams. No one is coming to make sure you’re doing anything. This is where self-accountability comes in.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, what’s one small step you can take today? I’ve often underestimated what 10 mins can even do for my book. I’ve told myself it doesn’t matter. But 10 mins a day would add up to just over an hour a week. Wouldn’t an hour a week toward your dreams be better than no time at all?