Choose One Thing

Stuck.

A blank page staring at you.

On silver-lining days, that blank page is a clean slate, which sounds glorious and refreshing. On stuck days, it is abysmal.

"You are standing on the edge of a chasm," says the old Adventure game narrator.

The chasm says, "I want to be done, but I can't even begin. The tasks are too many. I feel fat. I am tired. I cannot get any rest. I'll never finish. I am doomed."

Some will tell you that those thoughts and feelings are irrational. Cheer up, don't worry! 

I like to be more practical. Those are your feelings. That might be your reasonable assessment. Maybe you ARE doomed. Maybe you will be fat forever! Maybe you will never finish the book. Either way, you aren't happy about it right now, so you might as well just Choose One Thing. 

This is my ultimate method for getting unstuck. For today it doesn't matter how far you will go, and what goal you will reach. Just get unstuck, so your wheels will work again, so your energy can flow, so you can make a decision again after a bit. Just Choose One Thing.

And there is really only one rule--it has to be doable with the energy you have Right Now. So on the fattiest day of your existence, don't choose to run 10 miles if you can't even run. And don't choose to give up night eating when you haven't managed to say no for weeks. And don't choose to finish that chapter today. Choose something you can do, something that helps but that you feel you can do. Can you make a list about the chapter every day? 20 minutes of writing? Take a stroll for 20 minutes? No? How about 5?

Choose One Thing.  And be at peace, for the Spirit of God is upon you!