Prathima's Miles & Milestones

Don’t wait for inspiration — you create it by starting

Most people think runners love running and writers love writing.
Truth? Most days, neither of us does, especially in the beginning. It is an acquired taste, in my opinion. Even after being regular, some days feel like blah. Zero motivation. But then we have a weekly mileage & an upcoming race training calendar. We need to meet the goals else we’d regret the entire day. We usually pause and get back after a day of rest or count towards the next rest day. Simple. Listening to the body always helps.

When I lace up my shoes in the morning, I do not feel like running today.
When I open a blank page, I rarely want to write. The hesitation feels the same — that quiet voice that says, “Maybe later.”

But here’s what both running and writing have taught me:
You don’t wait for inspiration — you create it by starting.

The first kilometre always feels harder than it should.
The first paragraph always sounds worse than I hoped.
But somewhere between the effort and the rhythm, something changes.

Your body finds its pace.
Your mind stops resisting.
Momentum shows up — but only after you take the first step.

People often ask how to stay consistent.
The answer is simple, but not easy.
Stop negotiating with yourself.
It’s just that the first few minutes are the most difficult to convince the mind, and once done, it’s in a state of motion, leading to inertia.

Don’t wait to “feel like it.”
Start running.
Start typing.
The feeling comes after.
That’s why we first warm up during the runs.
That’s why we draft and delete it sometimes, as it sounded boring.
We also proofread at a later time, such that we’d judge it better as we’d be in a different state of mind and unbiased.

Creativity and endurance aren’t born from motivation — they’re built through repetition. And that repetition slowly transforms effort into ease.

Whether it’s the last line of a story or the last stretch of a run, the real win isn’t completion. It’s realising that you did something your comfort zone wanted you to skip. Every run, every page, every day you choose to show up — that’s where inspiration quietly lives.

So if you’re waiting for the right mood, the right song, the right moment — stop. Just start moving. Just start writing. Results do not matter. But one day it definitely compounds. Tricking the mind definitely helps. On one of those days when I have less motivation to wake up and train, I tell myself that I’m a Nike-sponsored athlete, hence I need to lead the pack and set an example. This wakes me up optimistically!

So push yourself to be consistent no matter what. You’ll surely find your rhythm somewhere along the way.

We’re on this journey together. Let’s do it 🙂

Hi, I’m Prathima 😊, Product builder by profession. I write meaningful stories about mindful living, running🏃‍♀️, cooking🍳, and turning everyday routines into moments of happiness ✨.

Follow me to discover small joys and insights, and subscribe for updates on Medium or Substack or my personal blog.

Love my stories? 💖 You can support my writing journey here: Buy Me a Coffee ☕.