What I’ve Learned From Writing 12 Days of Christmas

I’ve officially written and published more in a 12 Day consecutive period than I ever have before, and that’s a huge win for this procrastinating writer with lots to say and yet so little that makes it onto the published page.

A couple things I’ve learned over these past 12 days:

Inspiration rarely strikes, and it doesn’t need to

A couple of pieces I’ve shared over the past two weeks have been pieces I’ve been holding onto and working out in my mind for months, some for almost a year. It’s as if I was waiting for the right moment to know exactly how to frame it. And then, the 12 Day commitment was made, and there was no choice but to get it done.

What I find is that the answer for how to say something isn’t figured out in hours and weeks of endless thinking– it’s figured out in the sweaty hours of doing, of actually playing with the words and getting my hands dirty on the page.

Public commitment helps

I shared publicly that I’d be sharing something every day for 12 days, and that public promise made me not want to let anyone down. Put yourself out on a limb, make a promise, and then keep it.

Personal accountability helps, too

Public accountability is one side of it, and then there’s also the immeasurable value of having a person, a single person, that you make your promise to. Then, they can personally check up on you when it’s 11:30pm and you still haven’t published anything! But really, knowing someone notices, that counts for a lot and helps the momentum keep building. (Thanks April.)

It’ll get done in the confines you give it to be done

Many of the pieces I wrote over the past week I would have probably worked on for weeks and weeks more to try to make them even better, maybe even try to get them “perfect.” But when I give myself a time limit, that’s the time it’ll get done. And that’s good enough.

Take for instance, this piece: I could’ve spent hours. But I’ve only got 10 minutes, and I’ve got to get it out.

Thanks!

Thanks for following along these past 12 Days. It’s been a treat! Keep your eyes peeled for more and more coming from me in the next several days, weeks, and months now that I have some positive momentum at my back!

Happy Holidays everyone.