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Writer or Imposter?

A few months ago, I finished the book “The Power of Writing It Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life.” I gave it two stars on Goodreads and added it to my 2021 Reading Challenge. That’s about as much as I got out of the entire book. I should have realized that when I read the subtitle because that’s all it was — 200 plus pages dedicated to one habit. The habit is to show up and write, and I do that already.

My issue is dealing with imposter syndrome which is loosely defined as doubting my abilities and feeling like a fraud. I am not a published author (yet), but I’ve been a writer all my life. I fight those thoughts daily by continuing to write and – most importantly – hit publish. And I love to read your comments because my biggest hope is what I put out into the world resonates with others. Everyone who comments on these posts helps me build my confidence as a writer. But when I hear crickets (or see no comments), the self-doubt creeps in. So, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who shared their thoughts and posted them for me to see.

Finishing the Ultimate Blog Challenge is a huge boost in battling imposter syndrome. This is my 29th out of 30 posts for this month. I will write one more before the day is done. And, I want to keep the momentum going, so I plan to attend a writers conference in August. And as an added challenge, I’m in the process of writing an essay to try and win a first-time attendee scholarship. If I win, this will be another arrow in my quiver towards feeling like a real writer. And if I lose, I’ll still attend the conference. I know I’ve already earned a spot in the writing community. And by visualizing my future success, I can keep fighting the imposter syndrome that often weighs me down.

How do you deal with imposter syndrome?

*The image in this blog was taken from Grant Snider’s book, “I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf”

Rainy Days Aren’t So Bad

The sun did not shine.
It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house.
All that cold, cold, wet day.”

– from The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss

Yes, it is Memorial Day weekend, and the sun should be out. After all, it is the official start of summer. Here on the East Coast, we’ve already had a few days of warm weather. So, I can say I’ve already had a taste of summer. It would have been nice to sit by the pool today, but there is always tomorrow.

Oh, rain is in the forecast tomorrow? Ok, how about Monday? Can we sit outside on Monday? Let me check…Yes, Monday is looking good!

In the meantime, rainy days have never bothered me. I am more productive when it rains. The laundry gets done. Our Costco run is behind us. And soon, this post will be written.

Here are a few other reasons I love the rain.

  1. Rain washes away all of the pollen. – Springtime for me is allergy season. I can’t seem to walk around the block without running into someone mowing the lawn, and the grass is flying everywhere. There is pollen on the ground and just about everywhere else. But, after a good rainstorm, I can breathe a lot easier.
  2. Walking the dog in the rain does not take long –  Our dog, Chloe, does not like the rain.
    I tried to get her to go outside, but she dove under the bed. I got the message. On rainy days, she wants to cuddle up with us on the couch and sleep, which is fine by me. And when she has to go, she jumps off the front step, does her business, and comes right back into the house. No one has to stand outside and get wet on her behalf. It is very considerate of her.
  3. Reading on rainy days is my favorite pastime. – I can’t help it. A hot beverage, warm blanket, comfy couch, cute dog, and a great book is the perfect reading environment. And, if you aren’t in the mood to read, you can always watch the Friends reunion. I enjoyed it immensely!
  4. Memorial Day sales  – Working from home full-time gives me cabin fever on the weekends. So, when my daughter invited me to a late Mother’s Day brunch, I happily accepted. We wound up spending the entire afternoon shopping for summer dresses and sandals – knowing that someday soon, the sun will come out again.

Summer Plans

summer

It is Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer. With all of us fully vaccinated now, there are places to go, people to see, and things to do! Here is what is in store for us this summer.

College Visits – In-person or virtual, we are going back to college this summer! Ready or not, it’s Andrew’s turn to pick a school. I’ve been through this process once already, so I know the drill. But, Andrew is different from my oldest, Jenna, so it will still be new. And admittedly a little harder because he is (and always will be) my baby.

Andrew has different tastes in schools and majors. While she looked at mid-sized liberal arts colleges in the suburbs, he is going for the bigger schools in the city. Jenna is my social sciences kid, and he is into math and sciences. It’s going to be a fun ride, and I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he finds his new home away from home.

Swim Meets – In between college tours, Andrew will join the swim team again this year. It is a joy to watch him in the pool. You can tell he loves it, and his team spirit is contagious. He is going for a pool record this year in breaststroke. He tells me that he will train all summer long to make that dream a reality, and something tells me we will see his name on that wall.

Staycation – Instead of planning a big vacation this year, we decided to replace our deck and patio. It has already been a long process of selecting a contractor, educating ourselves on the difference between pavers and stamped concrete, evaluating the different types of deck material, and applying for local permits. Once the work starts, the whole project takes about two weeks for everything to be completed. And then, we get to pick out new furniture.

If everything goes according to plan, I will lay out on my new deck on a comfy lounge chair, sip a cool drink, and read a book sometime in mid-July.

Down the shore – If you are not from my part of the country, this is what we say when we go to the beach. I live outside of Philadelphia, grew up in South Jersey, and love the shore. After a year like we’ve had, I want to dig my toes into the sand and put my feet in the Atlantic Ocean. And there be plenty of chocolate peanut butter fudge from the Boardwalk to enjoy.

So, what are your plans for the summer?

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