Does anyone have projects they REALLY want to do?

Long, first post. I'm sorry 😬 I have many projects (novel ideas really) I really want to start, and honestly ruminate about them to try and "jump start" my brain into starting to write/do something with them other than the basic idea on my phone's notes app, basically try to get more story development. However, I never do start writing, or "I'll do it later, after this" and feel guilty all the time l about it. For example, I have a book I've been writing story/character notes for and even started to write a few pages last year (I started my social work masters program shortly after and used that as an excuse to not continue writing). However, in the last year, I never really stopped thinking about that book, and even said "I want to quit everything and just write" but now that I've graduated and am job searching, I have all the time to write, which *could* solve my money concerns as well. However, I feel I keep making excuses and/or picking up other household diy projects/other projects. I'm just at a loss of what to help get me to start writing. It's not that I lack the passion, it's just something that I feel weighted down by, that I'm scared I'll put so much effort for it to end up being a horrible novel when I care so much about it and feel really good and excited for the story. I do have an OCD therapist I plan to discuss this more with later this week as I started the topic but was scared to broach it more and ran out of time. But for now, I wanted to see if anyone would be willing to share any tips or tricks they use to start their projects? I just want to stop ruminating and feeling guilty for not starting/continuing writing and wasting time/life/space, etc. It all makes me feel so lazy, but I feel so trapped and weighed down, did I mention guilty 😅. Thank you all 🤗

jdgrrtt

Date posted: Yesterday

try to layout the steps it would take to start and break it down into the absolute simplest forms (pick up pen. open computer. take 3 steps towards desk. etc) focus on the really simple bits you could also set a timer. change the ratio as you need in the moment. work for a minute and break for 5 (1:5) uou can always work longer if you feel like it but it gives you a base to start. sometimes the pressure is too high to start without the structure or sometimes it feels like too difficult of a task because it's overwhelming. so meet yourself where you are in the moment but without letting yourself stay stuck hope this helps :)

MeganIrwin

Date posted: 17h

Thank you so much! I have considered setting a timer to give myself a 'forced' starting point as I've tried bringing my laptop to myself "the next time I get up". But I don't even get to that point of setting a timer and "forget" to grab my laptop in that 'next' time 😬 I also keep my notebook of story notes next to me, always within reach. It has special meaning so that's been helpful to keep it close/use it for something so meaningful to me. But I really like the idea of making a very small, simple to-do list and setting a timer. I think that will really help and meet me where I'm at since it feels so overwhelming at the moment/currently. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! This most definitely helps 🤗

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