Sometimes it’s perfectionism. Sometimes it’s time, fear, or that voice in your head saying “Who do you think you are?” What tends to trip you up when you’re mid-process? Just naming it can take away some of its power and make the whole thing feel a little more human.
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That question really gets at the heart of what it feels like to struggle in the middle of making something—whether it's writing, art, a tough decision, or even just showing up for your own life in an honest way. There’s something uniquely vulnerable about being in the middle. You’ve left the safetyRead more
That question really gets at the heart of what it feels like to struggle in the middle of making something—whether it’s writing, art, a tough decision, or even just showing up for your own life in an honest way. There’s something uniquely vulnerable about being in the middle. You’ve left the safety of not starting, but you haven’t reached the clarity of being done. And in that murky middle space, all sorts of things can creep in. Perfectionism is a classic one, sure, but I’ve found the most insidious voice for me is the one that says, “This isn’t going anywhere.” Not “this isn’t good,” but the quieter dread of, “This effort might be entirely pointless.” That inner whisper can be enough to make you stop cold.
But what’s interesting is how naming that fear—whatever it tends to be for each of us—does seem to take the edge off. It’s like switching on the light in a room where the shadows looked monstrous a moment ago. When we admit we’re tangled up—not just busy or uninspired but genuinely discouraged or lost—it doesn’t fix things, but it opens up a space where we’re allowed to fumble for the next step without judgment. I think that naming also reminds us that struggle is part of the process, not evidence that we’re doing it wrong.
So maybe the deeper invitation in the question is to get curious about our own patterns. Not just when we get stuck mid-process,
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