Question: Why do we always put off doing the things we most want to do?

Because it’s getting kind of annoying, this whole, not doing fun things. What’s the deal?

You know what I’m talking about; the things you long to do, but somehow never seem to have time to do. Learning to play the piano, taking a painting class, getting in shape, writing that novel, seeing that old friend who always makes you laugh. Why don’t we DO the things we want to do?

We get mired in the minutiae of everyday life: dishes, phone calls, emails, laundry, picking up and dropping off family members, aimlessly searching the web looking for the meaning of life, watching Jon Stewart.

And I’m wondering why we don’t get the hell ON with it.

My best friend and I talk about this a lot. She will find this wonderful book about writing and get herself and me a copy. Then we’ll both each carry it around in our purses for six months, “saving” it for some time when we can devote the time and attention to it that it deserves. We love the book so much, we don’t even allow ourselves to read it. Logical? Not so much.

The reality is, NOW is the time. I’m not trying to go all Eckhardt Tolle on your ass, but honestly, isn’t it kind of masochistic to put off doing things that you desperately want to do and have wanted since as long as you can remember?

I say let’s get this party started. My best friend and I are writing a book and nobody’s going to tell us we can’t or won’t. I have this blog and it’s my chance to spew my nonsense out on the world in the hopes of insight or a laugh, or both. There are other things I want to do, and I need to push myself to make them happen. Events don’t happen without action. Thinking, analyzing why we don’t do what we truly want to do is pretty daft, isn’t it?

So writing this blog? Good. Folding laundry? Lame, but necessary. Working on my plans for world domination in the realm of Theatre Education? Slowly progressing. But I still have to push myself to actually do things.

Example: I have the opportunity to coach some middle school kids in improv. It’s a volunteer and very part time gig, but I’m dragging my feet about it. Why? I would LOVE it. I keep finding excuses like lack of childcare or plain old inertia but when push comes to shove, I need to just set up a date to see the students and do it. I fully admit there is some fear involved. Let’s not forget anxiety, a major reason we don’t do what we want.

I also have a workshop to give on improv, and I find myself trying to find excuses to bail, to cancel, not to do it. Why? Fear? A little. I’m pretty rusty. But mostly it’s that I’ll LOVE it so much that once it’s over, I’ll feel the lack of it in my everyday life. Why taste the frosting if you can’t have a big slice of cake? At least that’s the mindset I seem to be in. Which isn’t necessarily a good one.

But some frosting and no cake is better than no cake or frosting, isn’t it? I think so.

What I really need to do is make the frosting a more regular part of my life. If you love doing something but almost never do it, examine why that is. I think a lot of what kept me from following my passions earlier in life was not knowing I could actually apply in the real world, so why bother? But where there’s a will, there’s a way. And hard work and a desire are the main things that make so-called dreams come true. It’s not inertia. It’s not sitting on your ass wondering why you have a muffin top (I know why, so shut up.). Your collection of poems is not going to get written if you spend all your time watching reality TV or surfing the Web all day (well, except for reading my trenchant wit, of course).

Get on with it. I will, too.