Runnerwriter’s block – the Mason jars saved me

Running and writing about running have a few things in common. Unless you are of the highly disciplined and focused variety – often regardless of best intentions – life has a habit of getting in the way of achieving your goals.

I am not going to draw up a list of excuses but let’s just say I keep meaning to do a blog post then keep finding other things to do and time vanishes.

Gormley scupture

As someone fairly new to blogging, I do also hover on the brink of why bother ? Thinking it self-indulgent, wondering who is interested and even if I pretend I don’t care if no one is reading what I write, the germ of self-doubt lingers. It was easier when I was blogging along to self imposed running challenges, but writing a general blog about general life and running is proving a bit harder.

As a lifetime procrastinator, when the blank screen beckons, I do what I have always done if I have a task to complete – I go seeking displacement. Online the opportunity and choice of procrastination routes is almost overwhelming, as I bounce between Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, emails, Blipfoto, Twitter again etc etc and in no time I am in the eye of my procrastination vortex and inspiration has still not appeared.

I should be blogging

That is when I decide to read some of the blogs I follow.

It’s good to read other blogs – where else could you be transported across continents to have a brief view into another life – or switch between the top 10 of everything to comments on Scottish politics, pause for a dip into mindfulness, see tasty food and craft ideas and of course in my case lots of running stories.

Right now I am enjoying these writers amongst others (and apologies, I am still getting to grips with how best to add in blog rolls and other widgets, is on my ‘to do’ list ). I love seeing Breath of Green air’s photos , often of places I have visited, and she has made me pause for thought on a few occasions, Saul is on a journey of a different sort and today hopefully will have completed the Edinburgh marathon. I love the nonsense and discovery that is top ten of anything and everything and thought provoking in a different way, The Burdzeye views on mostly Scottish political life is always a good read.

Right now Iam enjoying  On the Lam (b)  and finding out what goes on in Maine, and it was here recently that I learned something new and as a bonus something that gave me the kick up the writers backside I needed.

Paige had talked about making Mason Jar salads, something new to me and from the pictures they looked beautiful . I definitely plan to have ago making them one day. But more importantly it made me realise that if you write about something you care about, you can write about most things and there will be someone who will find it interesting.

So thank you Paige, these colourful jars of healthy veg gave me the jolt needed to write again. 🙂