Writer’s block: The condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing.

Before I fall back into my blogging routine, I would like to discuss a topic that’s been bugging me for a while. This month has not been off to a great blogging start, to be honest.

First of all, at the end of last week my blood pressure dropped – I’m assuming it’s the first time it has happened, or else it wouldn’t have affected me so visibly – and it had a toll on me physically. It carried on from Thursday to Sunday, when I then decided to go to the clinic to get checked on. I thought it would go away by itself, but it didn’t. It was really weird; I was lightheaded all the time, and nothing I did – sleep, eat, drink – could make me feel better. My energy drained out of me, every time I stood up everything went black and I had to sit back down before I could stand up again, I had nausea – basically most of the symptoms of someone with low blood pressure. It kind of runs in my family, and there’s no danger in it. But man, I felt so defeated.

The main reasons for that occurrence are 1) it’s summer here, and it’s boiling hot most days, 2) I sweat a lot, and I haven’t hydrated myself enough, and 3) I’m low on sodium (due to sweating and possibly my diet). The solution? Drink much more water, eat more food containing sodium, make sure I eat after working out.

Anyway, as my physical state is almost always directly linked to my emotional state, it also affected my emotional well-being. Right before I felt my blood pressure lower, I was quite sticking to the plan I set for myself this month. And then when it hit, I just stopped wanting to do anything altogether. I could barely read for the first few days. And that’s when I realized that most of the things that I talk and complain about are in my head. Sure, being physically weak affected me in a ‘new’ way and set me back for a while, but after I had healed? I continued with the same mindset.

I know that writer’s block is most commonly associated when a writer cannot physically write or produce something new due to a ‘creative breakdown’. I am neither a writer or expected to produce something ‘creative’ anytime soon, so I’m pretty sure I’m not having that kind of writer’s block. No, the writer’s block I’m having is more linked to the emotional-mental state being. Like most people, I’m used to having rigid deadlines and specific tasks – mostly thanks to school. And even then, I would have creative breakdowns, and when I link that to the situation that I am in right now, I see that it’s a different contextual environment but same situation.

If I’m being completely honest, there are 2 main reasons:

1. Fear. It’s ludicrous to say this, considering that I’m blogging completely on my free will, for an audience who I’m sure doesn’t know me IRL, and that all of you that have read and commented on my blog have been extremely nice and encouraging so far. But I guess it’s the fear of solidifying my thoughts, and putting them out there for anyone to see. Even though none of you have said it in my face, there’s this fear that is always lurking in the back of my head, criticizing everything I write. I made a post not long ago about the changes I had resolved to make when it came to blogging, and that’s exactly what I’m talking about. See what I’ve done here? I’m just rambling on and on endlessly, even when I’m trying to make a list. Anyway – this is something I have to work on.
2. Procrastination. I guess this is something that all of us, no matter how little or how much, experience every once in a while, right? It’s the thought of thinking that you have more time than you have, letting things ‘flow’ rather than setting them into action, and realizing too late that you have wasted a perfect day for work.

I think that writing these thoughts down will help me, and I hope it wasn’t too bothersome to read (if you did read it all). I want every single one of my posts to be ‘perfect’, creative and helpful in their own way, and that usually makes me unsatisfied with my post until I am almost certain that I have included all of the information that I wish to write about. I’m creating high expectations for myself, and I can hardly get myself to post regularly. So I have told myself that if I post more frequently, I can distribute my thoughts and ideas across more posts, and thus reduce the length of each one.

Do you bloggers ever experience writer’s blog? If so, what kind do you experience and what do you do/have you done to resolve it?