I know the tricks of working through (or avoiding writer’s block). They are invaluable to me and many others, but this isn’t going to be one of those posts.  This isn’t about breaking through writer’s block – it’s about experiencing it. It’s about allowing it to break me, and enable a break through.

overcoming hurdles and creative limitations by experiencing discomfort

We are often quick to want to push through and get to the other side of discomfort.  Whether we’re talking about writer’s block, a personal situation or professional one we try to get through uncomfortable or painful moments as quickly as possible. However, sometimes the really good stuff lives within those raw moments.

Writer’s block is something that’s experienced by many of us. It’s brought on by exhaustion, an inability to focus, lack of passion, disinterest in a subject, stress, or personal distraction. But this is your chance. Acknowledge the discomfort, allow your words to be klunky and awkward. Be free to make no sense at all and jot down a jumble of ideas. Allow yourself the time to dig deeper to find what is really preventing your words and ideas from flowing? Is it fear? Is it boredom? Is it something else entirely?

confronting my own messy little writing demons and insecurities

My writer’s block is rooted in fear. Primarily the fear of what other people think. My insecurities have gotten the better of me and I’m hesitate in my words and ideas. Plus I’m undergoing a major life transition. I have too much in my head, it’s a big tangled mess. I’m painfully untangling everything, and it’s getting messy. Words, ideas, and posts are awkwardly being assembled. It might not be pretty to read or comfortable to write, but I’m on to something. New ideas are forming and directions being taken.

Through identifying the cause of my writer’s block I am confronting my insecurities, breathing them in, experiencing the discomfort, living the questions, and working through them in an imperfect way to me and my ideas to take new form and infused with an even great sense of purpose. Feel free to bear with me, ignore me, or even join me on the journey.

[Image by dirteh fingers via Flickr]

What about me. Twitter can be a great communications tool. It’s been great for me personally and professionally. Caveat: knowing that everyone’s not using Twitter. Knowing who’s using a tool is equally as important as knowing who’s not. Don’t forget who isn’t here to contribute to the conversation – they may have something amazing to contribute, but are voiceless.

And it’s not just Twitter. There are plenty of platforms and tools where folks are missing. For instance, Facebook, yes, there are millions upon millions of users, but who’s missing. For example, me. I don’t have a Facebook account (…really, I don’t). I might have something valuable to say.

Aligning audience and means of communication. Are there voices being left out of the conversation that could add exponential value to your organization, goal or community? Twitter can be used in the execution of a portfolio of communication means to tap into a range of audiences, but that should only happen once audiences have been identified. Have you taken a moment to determine who your audience is – and where they are?

Who’s making the decision. What happens when you don’t take the time to identify where your audience plays, well, you miss an opportunity. Someone misses the message, the chance to be engaged or an invitation to participate (either physically or virtually). Case and point, my ten year high school reunion, the reunion invitation was only sent via Facebook. As I said earlier, I’m not on Facebook. Meaning, I found out about the reunion only after it took place. The point isn’t that I missed the reunion, it’s that I never got a chance to decide for myself if I wanted to attend or not. The means of communication decided for me.

Take the time, do the work. Don’t let voices go unheard or leave communities ignored just because you missed the mark. Take time to understand your audience and then communicate to them in the space where they play. Why should they come to you? If they are that important, then you should go to them. In time, that may reverse, but you have to reach out and cultivate the relationship first.

Tools are going to change, audiences will change too – and where they intersect is going to change. What shouldn’t change is critical thinking around how best to link the two.

Remember, 80% of Twitter accounts are inactive. That’s whole a lot of people not paying attention to those thoughtful, value-filled, community building tweets you’re spending hours crafting. Make sure your audience is where you’re focusing your attention, before you start trying to get the attention of an audience that may not even be there in the first place.

[Image: The empty playground #1 courtesy of soulholder, Flickr]

A personal heart-to-heart. Have you checked in with yourself lately to identify areas where you can improve? Taking a self inventory is incredibly empowering not too mention valuable to those you work with and support. Take a moment to ask yourself: What’s been added to my plate over the past few months? What activities have fallen off the radar – and gone incomplete? Are there areas of value that are no longer getting attention?

We’re always juggling something. For me, it’s several freelance projects and a baby on the way. It’s easy to get caught up in everything and simply look away from items that have gone ignored. However, being able to acknowledge where you can improve makes you better equipped to tackle whatever gets thrown your way. You’re aware and will be able to appropriately allocate yourself to the most important tasks. This type of self awareness is sometimes (and too often) misinterpreted as admitting weakness or failure. Wrong.

Self assessment is about being able to review all aspects of your working self – the good, the bad and the ugly – then doing something to improve the bad and the ugly.

Take manageable bites. Self improvement doesn’t require a complete overhaul, start small. For me, I know “blog commenting” has fallen to the wayside. For a while I was simply kicking myself (…so not a productive response). I read so many wonderful posts daily, but failed to truly contribute or participate in the conversation. It’s something I wanted to fix and focus on – right now.

No time like the present. Therefore each and every day I’ve added to my daily work list: comment on one blog post. Just one. This might seem like a marginal, arbitrary goal, but one is better than zero. One is manageable, I can take my time, be intentional in my contribution, and will enable me to set up a new daily routine. Will I increase this target number, probably, but not yet.

For now, it’s just one comment daily. It’s about identifying an area of improvement and setting up a realistic, non threatening goal to achieve in a sustainable way. From there, I’ll take stock and improve further. The constant self assessing results in an organic checks and balances system that will ensure I’m always learning and offering the best istrategies and solutions to my clients and contributions to my communities.

[Image: Work courtesy of alexanderljung, Flickr]

- I have learned that change is hard.
- Sometimes it is okay to walk away.
- Losing someone you love is never easy.
- Grieving is even harder.
- Old habits are hard to break.

If this year taught me anything, it taught me that I am harder on myself then anyone else could ever know (perhaps with the exception of Colin). Such severe perfectionism will only hold me back. It is time to be open to my own misgivings, mistakes and imperfections.

I have so much more to learn, but before I move into the new year I want to take some time to recharge and reflect. I am going to take this time to sip some tea and soak in all that 2009 has offered. I am going to relish in the moments past and learn to let go of all that holds me back.

It is time for a guilt-free hiatus. One where I can reflect and awaken to all the upcoming excitement, uncertainty and change. It is time to take a break from formal plans, Twitter, blogging, life planning – and take the time to write a love letter, give thanks, take a walk, paint, and simply take in the moment.

Here’s to reflecting, living and loving! See you in 2010.

[Photo courtesy of stillthedudeabides, Flickr]

In one moment you can be so incredibly certain that you’re headed in the right direction – focused, committed, determined. The next, you’re completely unsure of which way to go – who you are, how you got there and where the heck you’re going. It’s taken many days and nights of discomfort to realize that I was upon a major personal and professional shift. Acknowledging this was probably one of the most challenging and liberating self-realizations to date.

Pride and comfort played a large part in the discomfort of this disruption. For over five years I’ve drowned myself in technology, primarily internet, society and new means of communication. Fascinated by it both professionally and personally. In so deep, that it became (and still slightly is) identity forming. It is hard to pull and separate yourself from something that others see you so identified with. Without sounding self centered (typically I’m much more modest), but I do believe that I have the ability to excel in this particular space, but I don’t want to. There was, and still is, a major hurdle holding me back. The scope of such a focus is too narrow, forced and simply exhausting. Ironic, right? We’re talking about technology, it’s infinite, but the particular area in which I was focusing my professional attention just wasn’t the right fit. All pleasure and curiosity I held previously – gone. At least for now, in it’s current incarnation.

Several major life changes have also aided in this intense soul searching. My MBA, a degree that I worked diligently towards for over three years is complete. Something that required so much of my intention, focus and emotion is now done – and with its completion an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, but a hole of uncertainty and responsibility. We have a peanut-to-be scheduled to make an appearance in March. The unexpected emotion and reflection that comes with pending parenthood is truly remarkable and incredibly eye-opening. It’s made me reassess the life I want to have not only for me, but for my growing family and the life I want for my own child.

What next for Left Behind Bottle Caps? Well, I hemmed and hawed over whether I should start a new blog or not, but this blog, like me, has grown, changed and matured. I want to enable it to do so. I don’t want to forget my past interest in social media, but rather integrate my underlying interest in communication and stories into my next career, what ever it may be. I’m also not looking to turn this into a mommy blog (not that there’s anything wrong with mommy blogs) – for now I have decided to keep much of that aspect of my life separate until I feel compelled otherwise.For now, I hope to focus more on the act of creating, the act of living and the act of embracing the many things that inspire me each and every day.

If I’ve learned anything in these past few months it’s that balance and passion in life is everything. I used to think that this was just me, and perhaps it is, but what is life without balance and passion. They should be the pillars of much of what we seek to accomplish in life. So for now, I pursue interests. I’m rekindling my love affair with art (any and all hands-on craft), seeking educational opportunities to delve back into project management and becoming a grammatically better person by pursuing copy editing – maybe even a cooking class or two.

[Photo from Freya Art & Design via Etsy. Truly amazing prints! Please visit her.]

Twitter = is like information snacking

I can nosh on tidbits of information all day and night. It’s a great way for me to maximize my information intake in small doses through even the busiest of moments. The reciprocal is also snack worthy. I can share resources, thoughts and ideas throughout the day. Satisfying my need for continually knowledge consumption.

Blogging = is like sitting down to some good comfort food

Snacking is great, but there’s always a slight gnawing for more. No matter how much I tweet or read there’s always an insatiable craving. A craving and hunger that can only be satisfied by sitting down to an awesome blogging session.

As a blog reader and consumer of information – there comes great satisfaction with reading thoughtful, intelligent and original blog posts. It’s like reading Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre. It takes time, thought and focus – but the end is a stimulating satisfaction that stems far greater than the context of 140 characters.

It’s not a matter of one or the other, it’s a healthy balance both. Tease me with your tweets – but also open my eyes and mind to links that lead to well thought out meals that will keep me coming back for more!

Photo courtesy of matas.p via flickr

Right now I am counting down the week until I have officially completed [and attained] my MBA. That’s right, the end is actually in sight with t-minus seven weeks …and counting. I have several ideas percolating and I hope to find some time to reflect upon them soon.

Be well – and squeeze a little fishing in this summer.

Pure and simple is something that I not only crave on daily basis, but strive to achieve. Am I always successful? Of course not. I work full-time, attend graduate school part-time, am a devoted wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I’m an advocate for digital literacy, a seeker of infinite information, a lover of art and music (oh, and let’s not forget food and wine). However, the day does not simply allow for mindful, intentional implementation of all of the above. It’s hard enough to squeeze it all into a month.

The internet, the web, social media, technology, new technology, web 2.0, whatever you call it, is the conduit for my true passion: communication, collaboration, access to information and an ability to share stories, experiences and knowledge on a global scale. That’s truly what I love about the internet.

I’m finding it all becoming way to intermixed – my personal, professional and academic lives, my purchasing behavior and my constant knowledge consumption. To some, this is the point and opportunity within the context of the web. I don’t want to be an opportunity. I want to present opportunities to others, be attentive to those around me, the missions I hold dear and the stories I wish to share – perhaps all in the altruistic hope of changing the world.

To do this, I’m setting boundaries – digital ones.

Facebook will be for my personal relationships of fairly direct connection. Twitter, that’s still to be determined. LinkedIn, is the place to continue to connect with me as is my blog. My blog was the space that first spoke to me and this is where I return. The increasing constraint of character restrictions is not me. Anyone who knows me knows this and knows the my thoughts are far too verbose.

The question that lies is my profession and career aspirations involve the web and it’s infinite platforms. Am I less knowledgeable of the web, social media or technology, because I’m no longer juggling 100+ social networks at a time. No, in fact, it’s just the opposite. Expect more from me, so much more, because that’s the point of establishing boundaries. There will be more of me, my true self, to go around. I’m carving out a space to breathe, think about it, when’s the last time to carved out space of your own to reassess, re-energize and to simply be.

As I noted in a previous post (space: public v. private), I’m not only juggling my online presence and relationships, but also my physical ones. I’m trying to wrap up the semester, check in with my mother about various holiday related items, squeeze in coffee with a friend and have dinner with my husband.

For me, intentionally is key in all of my relationships, virtual or other, which means at some point I’m going to reach my personal quota and will be forced to reassess. This is what I’m doing now, and this is what more and more folks will do as new online opportunities and social engagements fight for their attention. As a consumer, participant and human how do we decide what activities are important to us? As a organization, website or producer how do we ensure that our objective provides the most value, community and experience that it’s worth spending what little time we have?

Seth Godin perhaps sums it up best:

The internet isn’t full, but we are.

However in order to satisfy my own blogging desires, and to leave you with something worthwhile, here’s Beth Kanter‘s Top 10 Nonprofit Technology (NPTech) and Social Media for Social Change Blogs (courtesy of Blogs.com):

Amy Sample Ward‘s Version of NPTech
CauseWired
Have Fun Do Good
Katya Andresen: Nonprofit Marketing Blog
Laura’s Notebook
Qui Diaz – Evange.list
Social Actions
Social Citizens Blog
SocialButterfly
ext337

Of course I had to add a plug for Cambridge Community Television (CCTV), while they might not be what typically comes to mind in regards to social change via blogging (since they are a public access center), they are nonetheless breaking the stereotype and doing just that. They are rapidly honing in and expanding upon the idea of localism, what it means, what it looks like and how is can be harnessed. CCTV is utilizing social media in a way that’s causing the metamorphosis of the public access community, which is increasingly critical as the traditional access model continues to be threaten .

Visit Save Access for more.