SELF DOUBTS....
It doesn't take much does it? A word or phrase, perhaps a comment...sometimes even a look and it is as though it is now a truth eternally etched into our hearts.
I remember years ago, year seven (so yes YEARS ago)...we did that dreaded Maths example. You remember, where they took our height...and our WEIGHT...to create a graph. We also looked at other factors but frankly I don't remember them. What has stayed with me for all these years was that in that group I was short and fat.
Yep...that's what has been engraved on my skin. And when I look back on those teenage years (OMG)...let's get a shy girl and then make her believe she is short and fat and doesn't live up to any standards and see what happens.
It really doesn't take much for us to believe in negative thoughts. This month has been a bust writing wise. Frankly this year has been a hell of a year in so many ways...some good...but a hell of a lot of bad and uncooperative and just plain annoying.
So of course, as I sit and ponder what the hell am I doing...and all those self doubts begin to swirl and gain momentum.
This is when a writing group...a critique group....or even a squirrel buddy comes to the rescue.
I have all of the above and it is at times like this that I can breathe a sigh of relief and know that I am not alone in those moments when life becomes chaotic.
My squirrel buddy and I email each other at the end of each week. It's a check in...a 'how are you going?'....'what have you done this week?' kind of situation. Since we have begun this camaraderie tradition we have both experienced family disruptions / change of plans and both had surgery.
Some great words of wisdom have been delivered....listened to...and absorbed.
The motto I have taken away is 'let's not beat ourselves up over what has not been achieved'
The same with my writing group. Over the years they have cheered and enthused, understood and sympathised, empathised and pushed and prodded and encouraged.
There have also been times when the majority of us have had a bad month. So many outside factors are a huge influence, and most of these factors we can't change. Over time we have learnt to 'go with the flow'. At the moment we have so much to do that putting those 1000 words down will just have to wait.
Instead of taking those self doubts and making them a reality, I am learning that there are times when writing will be easy, and times when it will be difficult. Learning to not feel guilty when things don't go to plan. That if Plan A isn't working, then it's time for Plan B...C...D or even E, F and G.
It's nice to know that I have a good support group.
When things are looking like there are no options...
there is always another perspective.
Life, as they say, has a way of becoming complicated. It's up to us to do what we can to make it work.
Vicki
I remember years ago, year seven (so yes YEARS ago)...we did that dreaded Maths example. You remember, where they took our height...and our WEIGHT...to create a graph. We also looked at other factors but frankly I don't remember them. What has stayed with me for all these years was that in that group I was short and fat.
Yep...that's what has been engraved on my skin. And when I look back on those teenage years (OMG)...let's get a shy girl and then make her believe she is short and fat and doesn't live up to any standards and see what happens.
It really doesn't take much for us to believe in negative thoughts. This month has been a bust writing wise. Frankly this year has been a hell of a year in so many ways...some good...but a hell of a lot of bad and uncooperative and just plain annoying.
So of course, as I sit and ponder what the hell am I doing...and all those self doubts begin to swirl and gain momentum.
This is when a writing group...a critique group....or even a squirrel buddy comes to the rescue.
I have all of the above and it is at times like this that I can breathe a sigh of relief and know that I am not alone in those moments when life becomes chaotic.
My squirrel buddy and I email each other at the end of each week. It's a check in...a 'how are you going?'....'what have you done this week?' kind of situation. Since we have begun this camaraderie tradition we have both experienced family disruptions / change of plans and both had surgery.
Some great words of wisdom have been delivered....listened to...and absorbed.
The motto I have taken away is 'let's not beat ourselves up over what has not been achieved'
The same with my writing group. Over the years they have cheered and enthused, understood and sympathised, empathised and pushed and prodded and encouraged.
There have also been times when the majority of us have had a bad month. So many outside factors are a huge influence, and most of these factors we can't change. Over time we have learnt to 'go with the flow'. At the moment we have so much to do that putting those 1000 words down will just have to wait.
Instead of taking those self doubts and making them a reality, I am learning that there are times when writing will be easy, and times when it will be difficult. Learning to not feel guilty when things don't go to plan. That if Plan A isn't working, then it's time for Plan B...C...D or even E, F and G.
It's nice to know that I have a good support group.
When things are looking like there are no options...
there is always another perspective.
Life, as they say, has a way of becoming complicated. It's up to us to do what we can to make it work.
Vicki
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