Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that quitting seemed like the only option? That’s how I felt on Day 8 of my 30-day writing challenge. The excitement of starting had faded, and self-doubt was creeping in. But instead of giving up, I pushed through—and here’s what I learned.
Today, I felt stuck. Overwhelmed. Questions started flooding my mind:
- “Should I take a break and skip today?”
- “Does anyone even care about this challenge?”
- “There are more important things to do—why am I doing this?”
I decided to slow down and think.
Starting is easy. Staying consistent is the hard part. Until now, I didn’t fully understand how self-doubt, mental fatigue, and the temptation to give up could build up so quickly. It feels like walking against a gusty wind—strong resistance pushing back at every step.
The old me might have taken the day off. But today, I realized I’m on the edge of falling into the cycle of starting and stopping.
The Starting and Stopping Cycle
Here’s how it works:
- You Start: You feel excited and motivated. You tell yourself, “This time, I’ll stick to it!”
- You Face Challenges: Life gets busy, or you feel tired and overwhelmed. Motivation fades, and it gets harder to keep going.
- You Stop: You skip a day, thinking, “It’s just one day. I’ll start again tomorrow.” But one day turns into two, then three, and soon, you’ve stopped completely.
- You Feel Guilty: You doubt yourself. “Maybe I’m just not cut out for this.”
- You Start Again: After some time, you feel motivated and decide to try once more.
And the cycle repeats.
This cycle drains confidence, wastes time, and keeps you from seeing real progress. You miss out on the benefits of consistency.
How I Broke the Cycle
Instead of giving up, I took these steps to keep going:
- Stopping Was Not an Option: I reminded myself that stopping wasn’t the answer. Even on hard days, I needed to keep going.
- Remembered My Why: I thought about why I started this challenge. I wanted to build a daily writing habit because I enjoy writing but struggle with consistency. Writing helps me deepen my knowledge in my niche and solidify my understanding of complex topics.
- Reduced Resistance: Today, I was stuck on topic selection. Instead of giving up, I pivoted. I decided to write a reflection on my writing challenge. This kept me on track and freed up my mind, like taking a small break without breaking my routine.
- Shortened My Writing Time: Instead of my usual 1-hour session, I wrote for just 15 minutes. Even 5 minutes is enough to keep the habit alive.
- Celebrated Progress: Today is the 8th day of my challenge. Eight days of consistent writing! That’s worth celebrating. I’m taking it as a win.
Why This Matters
Building a sustainable habit isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence. Writing is the engine that drives me to research, think, and turn knowledge into words. Through this challenge, I’m learning to express myself better, think more clearly, and feel a sense of accomplishment.
Closing Thoughts
Growth doesn’t happen when things are easy. It happens when you choose to persist despite the challenges. If you’re feeling stuck, remember: progress isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up, even on hard days.
What’s one small step you can take today to keep going? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your story!
