I can’t remember the last time I took significant time off from publishing outside of several years ago.
At first, I was scared. Scared of statistics. Scared of being away from the thing I do every single day.
The anxiety was crazy, but I rode the roller coaster until it finally dissipated.
I continually asked myself:
Why are you publishing?
Who are you publishing for?
Who are you without publishing?
Why do you need to come back to it?
What do you want to accomplish with publishing?
Is publishing how you should be spending your time?
Throughout the break, I noticed I didn’t ever stop writing.
Ideas continued percolating. I found myself journaling, writing notes, ideas, writing poetry, etc.
A writer never stops writing. They always find ways to integrate it into their life.
I feel more at peace after the publishing break.
There is much I still have to say and will continue to say until I leave this earth.
However, I realize I am more than what I write and publish.
There are endless avenues to explore and entertain.
Stepping away from your passion can help you optimize, rejuvenate, and rethink your approach to writing. I bolded the word “rejuvenate” because when you’re at something for long periods, stress and stagnancy can become associated with it, and you can lose your perspective.
I’m a high-producer writer, which means I’m constantly pushing out ample content. But as I continue to do this, I want to ensure I don’t feel stressed or anxious about my process. It should be enjoyable.
If it’s not, what is this all for?
High cortisol and stress levels hasn’t done good for anyone on this earth.
Should You Take A Break?
Do I recommend other people take breaks from their passion?
Everyone has to choose their path. Some people who take breaks from things never return. They realize they weren’t that passionate about that thing after all, which provides insight into another sphere of exploration.
For others, they can’t stop thinking about the thing they’re away from because it’s their purpose. That’s what writing is for me.
Why Should You Take A Break?
I needed a break because I was stressed tf out about too many things in life. Perspective, flow, and insight were lacking in my life. I was running at 200 mph, and I hit a brick wall.
There are three types of people:
Committed people
Uncommitted people
Semi-committed people
I am committed to publishing. I knew I would come back eventually. I could tell by how often I was still writing — even though I was not actively publishing content.
If you struggle with commitment and desire to keep making progress but still could use a break, decrease your output but simultaneously maintain your output.
Happy to be back. Happy to write for you. Happy to produce more content. Some of it will be shitty. Some of it will be good. Some of it will be epic. Either way, I love writing. So here goes.
Recommended Reading: People Would Never Guess I’m A Writer Based On How I Look