Before I started this post, I didn't know what to write about. I had no ideas whatsoever. It happens more often than you would imagine.
And not only with my morning writing practice.
Yesterday afternoon, I didn't know what to do. I had a few ideas, commitments, and deadlines, but I was staring at the screen of my laptop, and I didn't know what to do.
So, this is a genuine question: what do you do when you don't know what to do?
I thought asking one of the many AIs available was a good idea. This is what I got, "I don't have personal experiences, feelings, or needs, so I don't experience situations where I «don't know what to do» in the same way a human might."
Apparently, machines are not troubled by not knowing what to do. So, I have to figure it out on my own.
I love the Orphan X novels by Gregg Hurwitz. The main character is a super spy who can solve any situation. He strictly follows ten commandments that help him escape everything life throws at him. One of these commandments is, "If you don't know what to do, do nothing." Just wait and observe until you have clarity enough to act.
It indeed works for him. For me, not so much.
Maybe I'm not patient enough.
A few years ago, a friend gave me a completely different suggestion. She told me, "If you don't know what to do, do something". What you do is not important as long as you do something. She says that often, we find out what to do only once we start doing it. This is the strategy I use for my morning practice, and it usually works.
I'm sure there are many other ways to get out of the "not knowing what to do" rut. One may be to ask for ideas. So, here I am asking you.
What do you do when you don't know what to do?
Love this, and can totally relate to it. Whenever I find myself in a similar position of not knowing what to do, despite having tasks, deadlines, commitments - I treat it as a sign from my body; that my body and mind need to rest, or be nourished with something that truly gives me joy.
So I take a nap, watch a series or simply doodle for sometime and not feel guilty about it afterward, because my body/mind signalled me.