Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The middle is the hardest part

How do you know when you've reached the middle of a project?

For me, it's the sense that nothing is happening. It feels as if I've been stuck here, in the middle of a new set of journal pages, forever. I've written and doodled far too much to stop now and, still, the end is not in sight.

This is the part where I can no longer tell which prompts are good, which can be improved upon, and which should be deleted immediately. I feel, at moments, utterly unequal to the task.

This is the point at which I am also a little bored, to be honest, and desperate for distraction, but also ridiculously uncertain when it comes to posts, correspondence, and decisions about what to make for dinner. Because this is the part where it feels like I have nothing to share but anxiety, where I wake up in the middle of the night wondering why, exactly, I ever thought this was a good idea.

I am not at all fond of the middle, where all of the truly paralyzing doubts come to call, but I know that it is temporary. And necessary. This is where the work is done. This is the hardest part.

Soon enough, though, the end of the middle will be in sight. The border between all hope is lost and wow, I think I might be finished will be crossed and I can't wait to post from the other side.

What gets you through the never-ending middle of a project?


  1. Most of my projects are hand made gift for the parents and grand parents at Christmas time that I start working on in the spring (large family)but what gets me through it all is the smiles and tears that I get on Christmas Day when they open their gifts. I live to make my family smile with a happy tear here and there!

  2. I wish I could make it to the middle of a project. I always stall at the beginning. ;)

    Maybe you need to take a break and take a step back? Look at things with fresh eyes in a couple of days?

  3. The only thing - sadly - that gets me through the middle ... is starting something else! Hence why there are so many unfinished projects!

  4. Like the others, getting started is harder than the middle. No matter what end of a project, there is always a lot of self-doubt. Hugs to you!