Flexibility — #ILLUMINATION

What to Do When You’re Facing a Roadblock?

Could flexibility be the answer?

Imagine! You are going down the road towards your destination, and suddenly, there is a roadblock. What do you do?

Do you turn around and go back? Do you just wait there and hope that someone will remove the roadblock sooner or later, or do you take a detour and find an alternate route?

Writing is a journey of a kind. You have a destination in mind. You know where you want to go with your story, but then you hit the roadblock, er, writer’s block. Suddenly you’ve lost your bearing. You can’t think of a thing to write. What do you do?

I have been struggling all day today to keep my commitment to the 30-day challenge. This is my third attempt.

When you are on a path of Self-Improvement, you’ll have to get used to challenges. That is a part of the journey. How you deal with those challenges is what will determine your progress. Sometimes, a detour may be the best option. Other times, you may have to backtrack or wait it out.

Flexibility is your best tool in situations like that. I started out writing about miracles, which led to surrender. That became too long and wasn’t going where I wanted to take it. So, I took a break. Sometimes that is your best option.

I remember once; Woody Allen was explaining to Johnny Carson his routine about writing. “Some days,” he said, “I’d put a sheet of paper in the typewriter (remember those?) and begin, ‘The,’ and stare at it for half an hour, and then finish the sentence, ‘heck with it,’ and leave.”

So that’s what I did. I figured if it worked for Woody Allen, maybe it will work for me too. The two-hour nap didn’t help any either. So I picked up the phone and started dictating. I rambled about reading, then writing, and whatever else came to my mind, hoping that it will take me somewhere. It did. I ended up in the kitchen, helping the mother of my children make Rotis.

That was just the break I needed. I came back, and here I am. Flexibility is the topic today. Not miracles, not surrender; neither reading nor writing. When you hit a roadblock, take a detour and regroup. Sometimes you’ll find an alternate route; other times, life will show you a new direction, and surprise you with a new destination.

Day 5 of the 30-day challenge. My theme: Self-Improvement.

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As always, thank you for reading. Here are some earlier stories.

I am a self-proclaimed weirdo, Jack of Many Trades and Master of Some. I live the Freedom Lifestyle — life on my terms, and help those who are interested in doing the same. (Join the Tribe)

“You can let others tell you what it means to be successful, or you can decide it for yourself.”