About Being Candid with My Motivation: The Journey Within
By Segun Ade-Martins
In this post, I will be candid. Exposing vulnerabilities is not easy for someone who has been so private. In the last sentence, I’m even referring to myself in the third person.
The truth is, I’ve been feeling stuck. It’s not that I don’t know what to do or what I want to do. I have a journal to keep track of tasks, and I even use technology reminders like Trello, Google Calendar, Apple Notes, etc.
I don’t believe my goals are outrageous or unattainable; in fact, I believe they are S.M.A.R.T. goals, but I’ve been having a mental lethargy to propel myself to accomplish these goals.
This lethargy has bled into this blog. There are articles that I’ve planned to write, but when it comes to the research, my brain switches off.
Not gonna lie, I’ve been in cycles of burnout and recovery for well over a decade. I haven’t been able to map the patterns, but I’ve had moments of clarity when I notice what is going on.
Then I’m able to rise from it and get back into the groove. Funny, it’s as if my goals are like a band playing, and I’m that new band member that loses the rhythm often but then locks in again.
Luckily, I ran into this podcast and the host and they have helped orientate me with a remedy of self-healing.
Sounds flowery, I know, but guys these things work. I love writing, I love creating but sometimes what you love doing can feel like carrying lead weights around when your inner core is out of phase.
So, rebalancing is what I need to do.
Now, I know what I must do to mitigate phasing in and out of burnout. Firstly, I’m going to add “no” to my professional vocabulary. Then I will design a content cycle that will be less topical and not follow general SEO trends.
In SEO, you are not supposed to be unique, but by being creative, I have realised this publication needs to be a personal and creative expression. Essentially, to be more in line with its title, The Strange Journal.
Therefore, I will move SEO trend-type content to another publication with a different niche in mind.
However, it doesn’t mean my stories will be more about me; they will still be about the same subject matter: art, culture, film, music, etc.
It will be at a slower, deliberate pace, but about things that concern my artistic expression, subjects that inspire me to introspect and continue my journey within.
Originally published at http://thestrangejournal.wordpress.com on March 28, 2024.
