Welcome to Issue 50 of Writing and Other Stuff, a newsletter by me, Kim Scaravelli, with a focus on writing, enjoying your work, and nurturing your creativity. Thanks for reading. If this email was forwarded to you, click here to get your own.
🌷Spring is supposed to put pep in your step... but it doesn't work that way for me.
The days are getting longer and warmer so I should be filled with extra joy and energy. But instead, around the middle of March, my creativity takes a nosedive and my mood dips.
I'm thrilled to learn that there's a word for this: Frühjahrsmüdigkeit.
If you want to know how to pronounce this monstrous mass of letters, click here.
Frühjahrsmüdigkeit is a German term to describe springtime lethargy.
In Germany, it's considered normal to have a general feeling of weariness and fatigue at this time of year - so normal that they have a word for it.
Frühjahrsmüdigkeit doesn't mean you dislike spring. It just means that spring makes you tired.
There's science behind this concept. Your body is adjusting to the changing balance between daylight and darkness, the fluctuating temperatures, etc. And for many folks (like me), there are also seasonal allergies to deal with.
So if you're not as peppy as usual, don't worry about it. It will pass.
Be kind to yourself. And if anyone asks, tell them "Ich bin frühjahrsmüde" (I have spring fatigue).
Cool quote
“Be kind to yourself so that you can be happy enough to be kind to the world.” – Misha Collins
How To Write When You're Feeling Blah
Creativity doesn't live in a vacuum. It's impacted by our physical and mental health, daily stresses, relationship highs and lows, world events... and yes... even seasonal changes.
That said, if creative thinking and activities like writing are part of your work life, you need to be able to summon the creative muses consistently - even when you're not feeling it.
Even in March and early April, when Frühjahrsmüdigkeit is rampant, we must soldier on.
Here are a few things that may help:
🙏Temporarily lower your creative workload.
Make a list of written deliverables that must be done now. Make a second list of writing tasks that you want to do (but the world can wait for them). Put the second list in a drawer and schedule a time - two weeks from now - to look at that list. Between now and then, let it go. You're not procrastinating, you're prioritizing!
🧹Clean and de-clutter your writing space.
Dust. Vacuum. Throw away foolish knick-knacks and bric-a-brac that are taking up space. Make your creative environment clean and lemony fresh. Then add something beautiful, like a new plant or a candle. Sometimes, an out with the old, in with the new process can boost your creative powers.
🏆Incentivize yourself
Promise yourself a reward for completing each of the writing tasks from your "must be done" list. This doesn't need to be something elaborate or expensive - it's just a fun treat. I lean on food rewards, like a warm cinnamon bun from the nearby bakery. I feel happy just thinking about it.
Note: Be careful with incentivizing. Research shows that creativity increases when rewards are offered explicitly for producing creative works. But if you start rewarding yourself for things that are already intrinsically rewarding, this strategy can backfire and reduce motivation. This phenomenon is known as the overjustification effect.
Stuff Worth Sharing
Last summer, my tinyhome office got CRAZY HUMID and I had to purchase a desktop sized dehumidifier. It made a humming noise that was oddly soothing.
In fact, I noticed the absence of that noise when winter arrived and I no longer needed to use it.
I've since figured out that this contraption was creating brown noise. And my brain really enjoys brown noise! It helps me focus.
There are several kinds of noise: white, brown, and pink. For me, white noise is irritating, but brown and pink are delightful. Here's an article from the Healthy Hearing Clinic about the different noise options and what these noises accomplish.
FYI: I purchased a noise machine from Amazon. Mine was about $40CAD and here's the link if you want to check it out.
I use brown noise to fall asleep. But I also put it on when I'm writing. I can't explain why it's helpful... but it's helpful!
For the Word Nerds
The other day, I told one of my daughters that I was "in the doldrums" and she had no idea what I was talking about. Sigh.
The doldrums is a nautical term that refers to the belt around the Earth near the equator, where sailing ships sometimes get stuck on windless waters.
When you're "in the doldrums", you're feeling sad and lacking energy and enthusiasm. You're stuck on windless waters.
I love this expression because it anchors that melancholy feeling in time and space. When I'm in the doldrums, I remind myself that my feelings are real but they're not permanent. The wind will pick up!
Thanks for reading. I'll see you again April 3rd. In the meantime, if you like my newsletter and want to support it:
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