A moment of truth

I’ve been both talking about and working on Stay Unstuck for the last several weeks. But progress has been slower than I’d hoped, and there’s a little piece of me that feels bad about that.

That piece of me feels like I’m not doing a good job as a business owner, because I’ve been talking about something being ready soon…and then not delivering as quickly as hoped.

And that piece feels like I’m not helping you, because I’ve been talking about something I think could truly make a difference in your life and work…and then not delivering as quickly as hoped.

Are you seeing a trend here? It’s about expectations, assumptions, and of course (always), time.

Expectations…that a business has to work a certain way (rather than knowing it’s an ongoing experiment and being ok with making mistakes or doing things the “wrong” way sometimes).

Assumptions…that you feel frustrated when I can’t get something to you as quickly as possible (rather than what I suspect is the truth, which is that you understand and you’re here not for my speed but for what I’m able to share with you when I can).

And time…which I keep trying to convince myself I have more of than I really do, or that there will magically be more of it “next week” or “next month” (instead of truly being able to see what I can do with the time I do have, and being realistic about my own needs and limitations).

So here is a moment of truth for you: I’m not done with Stay Unstuck yet. I’m close—and I have been for a while. I’ve done some writing here and there over the last couple of weeks, and I got in a good 45 minutes yesterday, and that’s about it.

But I’m working on it as steadily as I can, and I’ll have it in your hands as soon as possible. I’m truly excited about it, and it’s been wonderful to hear that it also feels right for so many of you.

So with all of that out there on the table between us, I’ll leave you with two things.

The first is something to help you get unstuck now:

I’ve created a page on my website that talks a little about Stay Unstuck and links to the three posts I’ve already written about it. Each post has an exercise at the end that you can do right now, and if you haven’t done them yet, now might be a great time. They can help you see if Stay Unstuck might be right for you, as well as provide immediate help for wherever you are right now.

And the second is this question for you to consider:

Where are you placing expectations and assumptions on yourself, whether it’s about running your business or what others think or how much time you have (or don’t)?

Just give yourself a minute (set the timer on your phone for 60 seconds and close your eyes) to think about where you’re making things feel or seem harder than they really are, and where you can let go of some of that struggle. Or if that doesn’t feel deep enough, try some intentional writing about it (you can get a free guide to help you do just that at ericamidkiff.com/explore).

There’s your moment of truth.

Thank you for being here, as always. I am so happy to be welcomed into your days.

With much love,
Erica


Speaking of expectations, I want to let you know about a big change I’m making with Explore: 31 Days of Intentional Writing.


Until now, Explore has been open for registration all the time, with a new round beginning on the first of each month. But change is in the air!

May will be the last monthly round, and then I’ll be opening Explore four times a year, based on the seasons.

I want to spend less time trying to add new people into Explore every single month, and more time creating a culture around intentional writing (which is what Explore is all about). My hope is that as each season approaches, we can all take a moment to pause and look at where we are, where we want to be, and how intentional writing (or other practices like #strongermonthbymonth) can help bridge that gap.

Keep an eye out for more info! But until then, here’s what I want you to know:

The last day to sign up for the May round of Explore will be next Friday (April 28). After that, you won’t have another chance to do Explore until summer!

Whether you want to sign up right away or want to dip your toe in the water with a free (instant-access) intentional writing guide, head this way. And please reach out if you have any questions!


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Erica Midkiff