I feel it this month. The pressure.
I've had a headache for days. Everything that could go wrong has. My seasonal allergies are killing me. We've had car trouble. Our laptop went on the fritz. Work has been insanely busy. There's a deadline looming for two magazines I want to submit to, and I have nothing ready to send.
The frustration is simmering just below the surface. I wake up some mornings, and I want to punch something. Other mornings, I just want to give up.
But it's January. The saddest day of the year, "Blue Monday," is the third Monday of the month. Apparently, it's a real thing, a shared experience we all endure.
Together, we're cold, dismayed, broken, and watching the sun disappear over the horizon way too soon. But this is only the low point before our rising action. It's the point of the story where something jolts us to action, and we triumph over that which antagonizes us.
This could be a stern talking-to from a friend. A movie that emotionally resonates with us. The perfect drink/food combination that charges us before a deadline.
The truth is, as much as they're awful and painful, we need these low points. We need these moments to challenge us and shake us to our foundation, so we can muster our strength and forge ahead. Without the bad, you can't have the good. Without an obstacle, there's no need to overcome anything.
We need conflict. We need the struggle to beat all odds.
I mentioned earlier that there are a couple deadlines looming for yours truly. Outside of work, I'm one of those who take all the time I need. I can crunch if need be, but I prefer to relax and enjoy the ride.
I read a newsletter from a favorite writer of mine, recently, that really put the notion of deadlines into perspective for me.
Deadlines mean making decisions. Any decisions. Meeting a deadline means we have to pick an idea and just run with it. Sprint! Race it to the finish line and hope for the best.
Sure, it won't be as polished of a work as it could be, but there's something more raw in the mad dash, something more flawed and so very human.
When I think about my favorite works of art - my favorite films, albums, comics, etc. - there's always a part I don't like. There's a scene I might find superfluous or a song that isn't as good as the rest of the album. But the stuff that hits? It. Really. Hits.
There's no sanitization brought on by a snappy marketing team making sure all the proper demos for that work of art are represented. There's no stifling of the heavier themes or ideas.
Imperfections make something feel real. They better channel that human-to-human communication, and that's what makes art incredible. It's one person sharing with another. It's the artist making decisions, running with those decisions, and conveying them to us.
If you're feeling down this month, it's just an imperfect moment in your story. Give it a second. Breathe. Then get back to telling the rest of your story. Whatever you decide to run with, it will be something unique that only you can birth unto the world. And the sense of accomplishment you'll feel from making a decision and going with it may help lift you out of that funk.
We're all in this together,
Scott
Hey, did I ever tell you guys that I co-host a podcast? The cool people at TheBatmanUniverse.net invite me on frequently to chat about all things Batman-related. Listen to one of our recent episodes here.
P.S. I reviewed Batman/Catwoman Special #1 this past week, and I absolutely loved it.