Belly laughter and Anne Lamott go hand in hand simply because her writing hits the nail so fully on the head. (And she's been known to use the word "ixnay.") This scootching dynamic, explained so well by Anne, is exactly what I experience at times as a solo entreprenuer, especially with perfectionistic tendencies hovering about.
The part of this cycle that's full of agony is the "stalling" phase. Quite often, this is the phase that we can settle into, befriend, in a creepy sort of way. This I know. I get it! No action and a whole lot of self-doubt is a set-up for stalling. Stalling happens when comparing a decision with what others say or think or do that looks different than my own. Stalling keeps us in the dark and away from life. Agony happens when we exist in the stalling phase for what feels like forever.
Take time today to pause and consider where in your life you have stalled out? What's going on? Where are you doubting yourself? Did it start with criticism from the outside world?
Oh yeah, pausing to reflect on a situation is not at all the same thing as stalling. Stalling is one of those annoying habits we cling to. And clinging, god love us, is graspy and unsuitable for growth. We welcome pausing, then move on.
Scootching is actually healthy. Scootching might be slow, messy, tentative, but it's action. And taking action is living. Add this to your list of "to-do's" for gentle self-care. And by all means, pick up a book by Anne Lamott and laugh or cry till your belly hurts.
