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Showing Up

For me, the hardest part about fulfilling a personal goal has always been starting. When I want to start an exercise routine, getting myself to the gym is the most challenging. Once I’m there, I hop on the treadmill or the elliptical and thirty minutes later, I feel amazing. I wonder why I don’t do this more often. I could be 25 pounds lighter right now if I just showed up.

The same goes for writing. For the last 31 days, I woke up, got dressed, poured myself a cup of ambition and sat down at my computer screen. Sometimes, I would type the words “I don’t know what to write” until something came to mind. Other times, I’d shut off the computer and pray an idea comes would magically appear on my way to work. And there were a few days when I had to give myself a much-needed break.

But guess what? I DID IT! I put myself first and showed up. And here I am 31 days later with a new writing routine. I carved out the time for it. I made it a priority. I succeeded.

Why don’t I do this more often? I feel amazing! I could have had my first book written if only I did this sooner. 😉

There is no stopping me now! I may not get to 29 posts for February, but I promise to show up when I have something to say.

Thank you for reading my posts and supporting me all month long. Stay tuned!

A Writer’s Fairy Tale

Do you remember this scene from Pretty Woman? Richard and Vivian are lying in bed together, having some serious pillow talk.

“When people put you down enough, you start to believe it,” Vivian whispers.

“I think you are a very bright, very special woman,” Edward assures her.

Vivian looks into his eyes and answers, “The bad stuff is easier to believe. You ever notice that?”

This is so true, and there is science to back this up. According to an article at livingincognito.com, we are all pre-programmed to think this way. The author writes, “We are predisposed to pay attention to the negative stuff because when we were cave-dwelling, our ancestors had to be on high alert for danger—a.k.a. the bad stuff.” And now, even though we don’t have those dangers to face, our brain never rewired itself. We pay attention to the negative because our brains are overprotective and want to protect us from harm. We form a permanent memory of this feeling and therefore find it difficult to move forward.

This Ultimate Blog Challenge (UBC) has started to rewire my brain. I’ve already broken up with my 12th-grade journalism teacher, who told me I’d never be good enough. I’m putting out of my mind the rejections I’ve received from a few contests. When I asked one contest leader if I could get a critique of my piece, she had nothing but constructive feedback and words of encouragement. Even when I feel like I wrote a shitty first draft in the writer’s workshop I attend, people find something that resonates with them.

Hey guys – I just wrote a blog post a day for 30 straight days! For me, this is a big accomplishment. This experience has given me a much more positive attitude toward my writing career. Even on the days when I thought I had nothing more to write about, I realize my brain just needed to rest and recharge. I skipped two days but caught up and jumped right back on the horse.

Yes, the bad stuff is easier to believe, but I’m choosing to embrace the positive signs flashing brightly in front of me. And when someone has something negative and unhelpful to say, I’ll listen and then reply –

“BIG MISTAKE. HUGE! I HAVE TO GO AND WRITE NOW.”

 

 

 

 

 

A Moment to Vent

Yesterday, I went on ezinearticles.com and clicked on the category “Women’s Interests” to see if I could find a quality article to share with you. What I found was nothing worth sharing, but in fact, aggravating.

As a woman, I would imagine the topics under this category would be anything from careers to family, sports to fashion, and fitness to food. I thought I’d see a laundry list of fascinating and timely subject areas to explore.

Instead, I found this:

  • Menopause/HRT
  • Beauty Products
  • Plus Size
  • Cosmetic Surgery
  • Self Defense

That’s it?!  Except for the first topic—which I think is a valid one–what the fuck?!

Excuse my French, but seriously, this kind of thing drives me crazy. How about a section on health and wellness? Where are the articles about women entrepreneurs and athletes? I wouldn’t have even minded something more traditional, like parenting. But seriously, who came up with this list?

In the 21st century, the woefully outdated category of “women’s interests” should be put to rest. Who gets to say what my interests are on any given day? Certainly not this website.

If you think I’ve gone off the deep end, visit a magazine rack at Barnes & Noble. Notice the separate sections for men’s and women’s interests. I ask you to consider why they do this. Are women not interested in video games and DIY projects? Must we segregate the so-called interests of the different sexes?

There is a missed opportunity here to discuss and educate the next generation about women’s issues such as equal pay, the right to choose, and the lack of female representation in the corporate boardroom and in political leadership. This article in Politico addresses more women’s issues to conquer besides cosmetic surgery.

With 40 percent of U.S. businesses owned by women and presidential candidates talking about winning the “women’s vote,” let’s start treating women as human beings with their own experiences, interests and opinions.

Thank you. 🙂

End rant

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