Spinning Hats and Wearing Different Plates

"Why aren't you writing, writer?" Short answer: Don't you tell me what to do.

Long answer:
Over the past few months I've been working hard to put attention towards my song writing. Lyrics and music have been coming together more and more naturally over time. I often compare writing to a muscle that needs to be kept in shape. I continue to journal so I don't forget how to English, yet that doesn't exactly leave you with any content in the mean time.



The rest of my time is spent;


It's not that I have a ton of extra space floating around on that chart and you might be saying, "I don't actually see 'writing a blog post' anywhere at all!"

Thank you, that is correct. It is so correct in fact that this post was 90% written already. I've modified the time lines to be accurate. Most of it was drafted up in April, almost five months ago. I've kept busy, to say the least.

This all relates to the wearing of different pants. Think of how often you have to change clothes. The first few times you have a new costume change, it seems to take forever and slows up your whole routine. As you practice and it becomes more familiar, it is easier and easier to switch between roles quickly.

To switch quickly between hats like this can be very difficult. Our brain likes to neatly categorize things and you have a tendency to build a whole persona around your role in any given situation. When you are constantly jumping between roles, it can get exhausting. Like spinning plates, each job you take on begins to interfere and bleed together. Each new interest must be layered and melded on  top of whatever else you have going on. It allows you to build and strengthen each skill while simultaneously working on another.

It is hard, but very achievable that you keep building on what you've got. I don't mean work/9-5 related, or monetary success but instead overall contentment. The constant jumping between roles get's easier. You manage to find time to rest and 'hear' yourself in the quiet moments between set changes.

To break it down quite simply; constantly look for the new, even if you're tired, no matter the odds.