Totally agree. I used to beat myself up ( not literally) when I couldn’t manage to write. My sense of self was directly proportional to how much acceptable content I was producing. And one day, I got so frustrated I refused to even attempt writing anymore at all . No matter how hard I tried, I was apparently incapable or unqualified to string more than two sentences together.

It was the best decision I could have made. My brain needed a break. Something not half-assed.

It went on like that for what seemed like a long time. I was having no flashes of inspiration. I didn’t even really miss it, and writing had always been therapeutic for me so to not feel that need to purge my thoughts onto the page was a little concerning, and also a bit freeing.

I began to contemplate the possibility that I had completed my writing phase, and that I had mistaken a hobby for a passion. I got to where I was really okay with that, and started looking for another path to take.

And of course, that week it all came back to me.

I just needed a rest and recharge period — not half-assed — to get my groove back.