I got nothing!

I have been sitting behind this laptop for almost an hour now and… nothing. All I can think about is drinks and food and music and plumbing and electrical work and salaries and days off. I am so caught up in all the things that need to get done at any given point in time that I can’t even appreciate an inspiration long enough to savour it.

Running a business is hard. Running a bar is very hard. Running a bar and restaurant with a few extra amenities is… quite the challenge. One wrong call, and what looked like profit, would suddenly become a loss.

In the beginning, I felt like quitting at least once a week. Now, I want to quit every, single day. Actually, I think I quit at the end of every day. Then the next morning, a call comes in about something that needs my attention. By the time I remember I’d quit the day before, I’ve already been through half the day. So I convince myself to just keep going. By evening, I’m exhausted and ready to quit again. The cycle continues.

There are days when I ignore the morning altogether. Yet somehow, by afternoon, I have been dragged back into it. I want to say it is passion or whatever but passion only goes so far. In this period, I have found a new appreciation for the Lord’s Prayer.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Matthew 6:11

Bread. As in sustenance. Like strength and energy to keep on. Like how no matter how often I think I can’t go on, somehow, there’s strength to keep going anyway. It doesn’t always come full blast. Sometimes, it comes as motivation to brush my teeth and take a shower. Or a hunger for a very specific meal. Or a desire to really look good. Either way, by the time I have met that need, it is somewhat easier to tackle the immediate next one, like speaking to a supplier about drinks or going over the books. Daily bread.

Sometimes, we don’t need to have the strength or the faith for the long run. We just need it for the next step. We just need to be motivated long enough to put one foot in front of the other. Daily bread.

Our stories might be different, but the struggle is the same. Don’t beat yourself down when you can’t seem to get it together. It’s okay to feel out of it sometimes. When all hope seems lost, and you feel overwhelmed by it all, I suggest that you pick one thing, and work at it. Just one. It doesn’t even have to be the best one. It could even be the least ‘productive’ one. Work at it anyway. The rest can (and will) come later. Be patient with yourself. If you need a break, take one. You owe yourself that too. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

You got this!

Nana Agyeiwaa Nyameba

P. S. As I was typing, this song just kept playing in my head. It’s only right that it plays in yours too. Walk On Water by Elevation Rhythm. Enjoy!