I could have been doing this sooner, but I was stuck

There’s a certain irony here, because a lot of what I have planned for LifeUntucked will be along the theme of getting unstuck.

And yes, I’ve been stuck… with, wait for it… writing posts for LifeUntucked.

How can I write about getting unstuck when I still get stuck myself?

I’ve been “thinking about” and “planning” this blog for several years now. Thinking about and planning are in quotes because that’s one of the easiest ways to get stuck. As a recovering perfectionist, I’m a real master at this. Doing things I consider “getting ready” or tweaking this or that, all in the name of getting it right.

I could have started on day one with a simple, clean, unadorned template that even a WordPress rookie like me could figure out. I could have written my first post right out of the gates.

But I’m saying “No, no… I want to launch with a professional looking, high-quality product.”

And… “There’s a certain standard you have to meet these days.”

Don’t take this as negative self-speak. It’s truly healthy self-awareness. I’m acting on it. I’m fixing it. And I’m sharing it in hopes that if you see yourself in these words, they’ll help you break free and just get started.

See if you can relate…

• The initial planning took about a year. I was thinking about themes. Trying to figure out if I had enough ideas and topics for posts. Identifying my target audience. These are all good things and all necessary steps. I see no fault in this. If you’re starting out, you’ll likely go through the same steps. Keep in mind that you don’t have to have it all figured out to get started.
• I picked-out a nice WordPress theme (“theme” is WordPress speak for template). Bought it (easy). Installed it (fairly easy). Found out these things aren’t as out-of-the-box as I had expected. This was the first STOP. I started trying to figure things out.
• After fiddling around for a couple of weeks trying to get things to look like the demo, I contacted the publisher and purchased her $199 set-up package. This was a great experience. Hat-tip to Susan at Oh Hello Designs! First HARD STOP.
• I still don’t know how to use WordPress. So, I begin the search for reference and learning material so I can do it myself. I’ll spare you the details as the problem is one of “too much information” than not enough information.
• In the meantime, I decided a great way to practice blogging would be to write posts on LinkedIn. Anyone can do it, and it’s a great way to get your ideas out there. So away I went.
• I started to get good engagement and a lot of encouragement and kudos from people who were reading my articles. Then the strangest thing happened… The more I wrote on LinkedIn, the less I could even connect to my ideas for LifeUntucked. Second HARD STOP.
• I didn’t understand it. I would look at list of over a list of a hundred post ideas and wonder, “What was I thinking for this one?” So, I took this problem and tucked it in a safe place inside my head. To think about it some more is all I can come up with.
• I would tell myself, “This is your first experience with writer’s block… it’ll pass.”
• Not to worry. If nothing else, once I lock onto something, I’m not likely to give up without a fight. So, I kept coming back to it. But, without a lot of luck.
• I kept slogging away in the background with the website. I found a great web designer (Ideas Blossom and Associates)… Michelle helped me work the kinks out of the website and got it looking the way I wanted.
• The plan was to go live with ten posts on the site. After all, when I get that first visitor, she has to have something to read, right? Sooooo… Still stuck in STOP mode.

How did I break this self-created logjam? There are clues up top. But, here goes…

It’s very simple. “The big mistake I think I made was keeping this inside my head.”

Take it out of your head. Take it out of that place you think is safe. Reach out to others. Especially those you’ve been hiding your work from. Those who you are saving for that “see what I’ve done” moment. Go to them before show-and-tell time. Take them along for the journey. I forced it out by talking to people about it… and that part wasn’t easy. (I said the answer was simple, I didn’t say “easy.” That’s where we can get confused).

How have you gotten unstuck? How did you break a logjam?