Beginning something new is hard, right, Reader?

But why-o-why is it like this?

Over the last week I’ve been working very solidly on a uni assessment and whilst I’m not new to writing, I am new to research journals and academic scientific writing.

I won’t lie, I’ve had several meltdowns and sadly a few migraines thrown in the mix. But that’s not what this email is about.

Stick with me!

The thing I realised, on reflection, was that all the confusion at the start, all the stress and uncertainty, slowly weeded itself out with each next step that I took.

I invested so much time in planning to get it right that once I had one foot forward (figuratively speaking), the next followed more easily.

So why is it so hard to begin?

Here are a few key culprits:

• Fear of Failure: Often, the fear of not doing something perfectly or fear of failure prevents us from starting a task.
• Perfectionism: We want everything to be perfect before we start. The fear of not being perfect can paralyse us, even if we are actively trying not to be perfect.
• Task Difficulty: If a task seems too daunting or complex, it can be overwhelming, leading to procrastination.
• Lack of Motivation: When we lack motivation or interest in a task, we are more likely to procrastinate.

This is also very true for many folk wanting to bring more creativity into their lives. So many people have shared how they find the first mark the hardest.

I used to be like that too.

Procrastination would visit and I’d try everything to plan and prepare for the art making. However, once I started to play more, I realised that as long as I took the first step, the next would more easily follow.

***Now, I wouldn't be a good “learning science type” if I didn’t explore why this all happened…***

So, procrastination involves different parts of our brain, like the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, insular cortex, nucleus accumbens, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. These big name parts affect our decision-making, emotions, motivation, and conflict resolution. When these parts aren't working well together, we tend to procrastinate.

Seems **so** simple!

But wait...

Here is the good part…

Engaging in creative play can help improve how these parts of our brain work. Activities like painting, writing, or playing music can make it easier to start tasks and get things done. So, by having fun with creative activities, we can beat procrastination and be more productive!

Some easy ways I do this now are:

• Build a daily practice of play, an easy, low stakes way to build new connections in my brain and if they feel good, that’s even better!
• Minimal initial prep, plan only the first few things, ie, select a tool and an ink or paint and a surface! Get going, the rest will follow.
• Close your eyes if you need to! Do one thing to get something on the surface. You can also use collage paper to start or just do a single coat of colour to remove the tendency to overthink the project!

Now it is your turn! Hit reply and let me know what works for you, or, if you would like a little help getting started, join the Permission to Play Members Group, it is a really wonderful way to get comfortable playing and making space in your life for joy.

Until soon.

With Kindness,
Delphie Joy xox

PS: The Permission to Play Members Group is Free to try for 14 days and includes at least one live session. Just this week a new member commented that the play session "MADE MY DAY. Felt like a wellness shower:)))" Well, I can't argue with that! Let me know if you have questions, we would love to see you there.

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