A collection of thoughts from a Dad on vacation

why do we make writing so difficult.

I'm sitting here, pen poised over my journal, mind racing. Vacation's calling, but I'm a million miles away, lost in a maze of content ideas and Substack strategies. My brain's a battleground of clashing thoughts.

My wife catches me, brow furrowed, scribbling furiously. She reads me like an open book - always has. "Love, this is supposed to be a creative outlet. It should be fun," she says, cutting through my mental fog.

She's right, of course. I've been overthinking this whole Substack thing.

I stumbled across Vim's post today. One line hit home:

I've been writing daily for 17 days now, which is huge for me. But somewhere along the way, my creative playground morphed into a quest for "How to Build the Best Substack." Hours were spent analyzing other posts, strategizing, and planning. The joy of creation got buried under the weight of perfection.

But that's different from what these 30 days are about. They're about showing up, creating, and experimenting. No grand strategies are needed. Just write, build, and create.

I started this journey to rediscover my love for learning and explore ideas beyond my 9-to-5. Now, I'm getting bogged down in metrics and strategies.

I'm starting to understand what Vim meant about draining batteries. Every post and idea I share is a piece of me frozen in time. It's exhilarating, but it's also taxing. Creation doesn't come from thin air; my experiences, thoughts, and energy fuel it.

So, while I'm committed to this 30-day challenge, I need to watch my energy levels, balance the output with input, and let life refill the well that my writing draws from.

Writing is like breathing. Sometimes, it flows easily; other times, it's a struggle. But forcing it? That's a recipe for burnout.

I'll still write tomorrow—I gotta keep that 30-day streak going. But I'm shifting gears—less strategizing, more experience. I'll jot down a quick thought or two about the day's adventures, then close the laptop and soak in this vacation. The deep dives and grand plans can wait.

Tomorrow's post might be shorter and less polished. But it'll be genuine—a snapshot of a moment, not a carefully crafted masterpiece. And that's okay. It's all part of the process, the ebb and flow of creativity.

I'm learning that being a writer is about more than consistently putting words on a page. It's about knowing when to push and when to ease off. When to share deeply and when to hold back. It's a dance between expression and self-preservation.

So here's to finding that balance—to creating, yes, but also to living, to filling the well as much as I draw from it. This approach may even spark some fresh ideas. After all, the best writing often comes from living, not planning.

Until tomorrow,

Also, tomorrow, I will be putting together my thoughts from my brother Tobi Odeyale post about - dear dad; who's the disappointment now?

It sparked a lot of thoughts that I'm still organizing.

I'm going to jump into the pool now with my kids.

John D