Why returning to a paused project often feels heavier than starting something new
Starting something new is always exciting, but when it stops, picking up where I left off feels heavy.
When I pause a book, a project, a hobby… returning is harder than beginning.
It’s never just “continue”
It’s the feeling of having many steps before I can truly move forward:
- Finding where I stopped
- Getting the mindset back
- Remembering details
One small thing after another, the load keeps stacking.
Starting is exploration.
Returning to something you stopped is pressure—at least that’s how it feels to me.
That’s why I leave behind so many half-finished books, projects, hobbies, and so on...
Not because I didn’t care, but because going back simply felt too heavy.
Learning how to deal with it
For now, I’m trying to start small—writing tasks down so they get out of my head and fighting the urge to quit.
It’s a process of easing back in, step by step, rather than forcing a sudden leap.
Is it something you also go through? How do you deal with it?