Well we have all heard the saying when you get knocked off the horse you should pick yourself up and get right back on….I certainly fell off mine. I lost sight of my goals and dreams and let the laziness, fear, and craziness of life seep in and take over my thoughts until I was all but paralyzed and useless. I cam up with excuse after excuse not to write, or post on my blog…
I was too tired.
I was depressed.
I was angry.
I was sad.
I was broke.
I was not creative.
I was fat.
I was too busy.
I was reading.
In pain.
I was not healthy.
I was afraid.
I was not worthy.
That’s quite a lot of low self-worth. While I cannot pretend those feelings are not real. I cannot wholly accept them because I am worthy. I do have a right to be happy and productive and loved and to love. And so…with that in mind…I am back to my writing. To the thing I love to do.
I recently sent a story of mine out to be critiqued by someone who used to be a publisher and editor. Her comments and total destruction of my work devastated me. She actually asked me how old I was and if I had had any training. I was embarrassed and shamed. I thought maybe I have been wrong all this time and I chose the wrong path and I am not the good writer I thought myself to be.
Then I started thinking…wait a minute. Everybody has to be good at something. Writing is my passion. I am good. That was one critique. One. If I give up based on that, shame on me. So I have reread what she wrote. I have rewritten and made changes. Will it make a difference? I do not know. But I feel better.
So here’s to all who become discouraged….whether in their writing, life, work, finances, family, or friends….know that you are not alone and that you are worthy to be have and loved and to love. Keep doing what you love until you master your fear, only then will you succeed.
