Due to some kind of pandemic black magic I don’t quite understand, we are less than five months away from 2022. 😳 That means summer is winding to a close and after my writing routine (and self confidence) took a hit recently, I’m happy to report I’m finally back on track and working on a new project I love. Writing is fun again, yay!
Imposter syndrome is a beast and this last bout taught me that while I am lucky to have many wonderful people in my corner supporting and encouraging me, in the end, it is up to me to decide I am good enough. I am the only one that can choose to keep going, to keep writing, even though there are no guarantees. I have to be my biggest champion and, holy crap, can that be a tall order sometimes.
On my birthday recently, I received beautiful cards from both my girls, full of wonderful words of love and gratitude. But something my oldest wrote in hers really hit me hard. She is a writer herself. In fact, she has finished two complete novels already so she’s way more accomplished than I was at her age.
In her card she wrote that seeing me up in the morning before everyone else, already at my laptop and writing, is so inspiring “I want to be just like you when I grow up.” ðŸ˜
Oh man, did that get me in the feels. First of all, because don’t we all want to be our kids’ hero? But also because it reminded me that my kids are inspired by the work I’m doing to achieve my dream, not by the actual achievement. Talk about a lightbulb moment.
Would my kids be excited for me if I sold another book? Of course they would, but they don’t ask me about sales. No, they want me to tell them more about the story I’m working on and what my characters are going to do next. They know I have tough days and setbacks, but they also see me deal with rejection by crying a little and then writing some more.
We’ve all heard the saying, “it’s the journey, not the destination that matters” and this is something I feel to be deeply true for me at the moment. Right now, I don’t know where this long and winding road I’m traveling on is going to lead, but that doesn’t mean I can’t stop and admire the view along the way.
Happy August, my friends. Thanks for joining me on this journey. 💕
Oh yeah, and to piggyback this, I believe that the work instils the worth. So the results should be a byproduct, but the actual thing we should reward ourselves for is showing up every day. Thanks for this post!
Absolutely! Gold stars all around just for showing up because sometimes that is the hardest thing to ask of someone.