Just Relax

Do you ever get in that situation where you just can’t think about what to write? The harder you try, the fewer words end up on the page. Well, this happens to all writers.

One of my favorite activities is fencing. I was a competitive fencer during high school and during some of my college years. Now that I am in my 40s, I still enjoy going. During the past six months I can say that I was in what I can only describe as a “funk”. My form was terrible. I was losing easy bouts. And, to make matters worse I was getting injured regularly. I couldn’t figure out what was causing this. Age? Stress? General suckiness? What was it?

Then, last night during my third bout, it hit me. Why was my form so bad? Why was I getting injured? I was tense! I was so concerned with the outcome of the bout that I lost sight of the moment I was in. I was down 3-0 (fencing goes to 5). I relaxed, I was in the moment for each and every touch. Never looking too far ahead, I was focused. Well, I know you can guess what happened next. That’s right. I won the bout 5-4.

Why did this happen? I relaxed.

So what exactly does this have to do with writing? This anecdote is not really translating for me.

When it comes to blog writing, we have several paths to take. Informative, Entertaining, Inspiring…hopefully, we can do all three. When you are going down any one of these paths, relax. Let the words flow freely. Be in the moment you are creating. Grammar and editorial review can wait until the end.

Now, take a deep breath. Relax in your chair. And let the words flow out of you. You may find that it is just what you wanted to say all along.

What are some of the techniques you use to get past any blocks? Let me know in the comments below.