Of Butterflies and Shouldlings

If you like to write like I do, you’re probably familiar with procrastination.

It descends like a dark, dank shroud.

It takes you over before you know it.

And there you are, checking email for the millionth time rather than focusing on the task at hand. And as you procrastinate you think to yourself, "Why is this so difficult to escape?" soon distracted, however, by the cute emoticon and message your friend sent you earlier that week. Oh look, butterfly!

Yes, the first signs of procrastination are randomly appearing butterflies. I despise this because all it means is you've stumbled into the Land of Should. This is a terrible territory in which to find yourself as nothing is ever completed here. You wander aimlessly, daydreaming of how great you could be, and how brilliant your stories and characters are; yet all that is before you is a semi-filled or blank screen with the cursor blinking and a gnat buzzing around your head.

Do you know what puts you in the Land of Should? I do, and if you follow closely you will learn how to escape it and the creatures that inhabit the land. So, give yourself a break and a nice deep breath but get practical.

FO-CUS.

Three creatures exist in the Land of Should. Sneaky and silent, the first one attacks. It creeps upon you faster then you realize when suddenly, it's devoured the right side of your brain and you're now drooling on your keyboard. This Shouldling is called Boredom; he is from the Doldrums Waste, a land of marshy water and reeds from the South. The fix for this is engagement. If you're procrastinating because this goblin has gorged himself on your lovely, squishy grey matter try these few ideas:

• Remember why you're writing. To entertain, to help and to educate, and to inspire and bring joy into other peoples' lives. This is Boredom's kryptonite. If you remember why you're doing what you're doing, you'll likely have the strength renewed to fend off this terrible beast.
• Take a break! Walk away from Boredom and ignore him by doing something else. He'll likely become bored with you and go off to heckle someone else for a while.
• Do something random. Jump up and down, flex your muscles (in a mirror if you must), make funny noises – and don't worry, anyone who's listening has already figured out by now that you have "issues". This will scare Boredom, causing him to flee your presence.

And so, this creature is vanquished. Huzzah!

The next being always looks a little more hair-raising than Boredom. His name is Fear, and loathsome is he indeed. For he knows your inner phobias and how to twist you into knots, leaving you incapacitated. He lives in the region called Ter Rôr, roaming the lands looking for the lost to prey upon. The more he feeds on your festering fears the more intimidating and bigger he becomes. If you want to stay alive and engaged in your work, get serious about dealing with Fear. Left unexamined, he will grow in terrible, paralyzing power. Understand what he is and what he's doing. Then use that power to take charge.

• First, turn your direct attention towards Fear. Being scrutinized like that is painful for him. It's like using sunshine through a magnifying glass to ignite an ant.
• Challenge him! Be curious and passionate as you explore your own fears and come to reason with them. Fear loathes reason, it makes him feel puny and insignificant.
• Fear isn't your enemy – he is a natural force that plagues everybody. Once you understand that, walk away. That frustrates him more than anything else because there's nothing he can do about it, he can't even touch you. Eventually he'll leave you alone . . . that is, until he finds something new to pick at.

Okay. Two down. One to go.

The last creature's features are a little more anticlimactic than Boredom and Fear, but he is just as troubling to handle. He has many names unlike the other two such as Limiting Thoughts or Lack of Confidence, but both are too long a title. We'll call him Doubt. He is blue skinned, but is no smurf. He is the progeny of Fear, sometimes worse than Fear himself. He lives in the forest of Demurral, east of Ter Rôr at the base of Mount Dubiety. He, like his father, has the ability to penetrate your mind, seeing your hesitancy and uncertainty. He whispers foul words in your ear causing you to become negative, judgmental towards yourself and your abilities. And when you are in your final despair, that is when he pulls out his gigantic mace to finally obliterate your enthusiasm (i.e. your soul).

• The way to defeat Doubt is to question him. Is what he says true? (Hint: It most likely isn't). This will squelch his “fun time”. But he will try to convince you that what he says is true, so be firm in calling him out.
• Look and see how those negative thoughts are affecting your mind, your body, and your emotions. Understand that these thoughts aren't serving you in any way.
• Reconnect with your true intention. It is exceedingly more real, alive, and expansive than demeaning, self-critical thinking. This will make him leave. He'll go pout somewhere in the forest, scheming with ways to get back at you. But don't let that bother you. You're imagination is bigger than he is.

This is the Land of Should, and these are the three Shouldlings. They come in a variety of shapes and forms and colors depending on who's been ensnared. However, since you've become aware of their existence and their intentions, you can combat with them and overthrow their power.

Now head North to the Region of Vim. Once there, you should be able to find your way back to Reality.

But a word of caution to the discerning. Though Boredom might linger in the Land of Should, Fear and Doubt are not as inclined to be contented in their confines. Especially once you've frustrated and foiled their ploys. They'll manage to slip their way into our world masquerading as critics, publicists, editors, and even amongst those closest to us. Those people might not realize that they've become the vessels through which Fear and Doubt widen their grasp. But there is hope. Shouldlings aren't as strong in our world as they are in theirs.

Remember when you're with your own thoughts to watch out for the butterflies.