It’s Day 2 of
the 15 Habits of Great Writer Series led by Jeff Goins.
See, Goins and over 900 others are disecting the habits of great writers. Each day a habit is
tossed out, and each day people share what that habit means to them.
Today’s habit?
Believe.
Darn you, Jeff
Goins.
Good writers
believe in themselves. Yeah, yeah. Agreed. That is indeed true.
Except when good
writers don’t believe in themselves, and well, that is true as well.
I know you. You
are sort of like me.
You have this
dream and maybe you dream of being a photographer or a painter or a speaker or
a homemade pie maker, and you would totally prefer to just hang out in the
background until you figure out what your dream is all about. In fact, you
would like it even more if the world turned its head as you clawed away to your dream.
Plus, since we
are talking about it, it would be great it no one even noticed you were working
on your dream until you actually achieved it. Then, your friends would pat
you on the back and give you high fives and talk about how wonderful it is that
you’ve captured that dream of yours. You dream catcher, you.
But I guess you
know it doesn’t work that way.
There are days
when you rock your dream out, and then, there are days when you stomp your feet
and cry and feel the sting of failure. Those are the days I’m talking about.
Why? Because
those days will come. When you are pushed harder than you want to be pushed and
when you want to fling your arms in the air and shout, “I give”.
This post is
about those days.
Here is my
formula for those days:
Find your
cheerleaders and let them carry you through. Call them. Cry and tell them you
are in over your head. Allow them talk to you away from taking a bat your dream. Hang up the phone. Go for a walk. Sit back down and
believe.
Believe in you because
they believe you, and pretty soon you might just start believing too.
Special thanks to my cheerleaders.
Who do you call when your dream is too big to believe?
I've now been on Facebook for two days. Let the world rejoice. Please hop on over and "like" my page.
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17 comments:
I am doing the same challenge and wow it is a bit hard. Let's encourage each other in this process.
I believe in you.
Sounds a lot like parenting ... and being a cheerleader for my kids is one of my favorite jobs.
Love this and it greatly GREATLY spoke to me. Thank you for writing and for following your dream. And for not taking a bat to it on "those days" ;)
Amy I just love the way you write and love the cheerleaders idea. I have four online writing buddies that give support anytime for any reason. But I also journal - helps me vent, clarify and dream there. good post
Thoughts for the Day,
I'm not blogging every day on the 15 Habits, but I'll be peeking in on everyone else!
Glenda,
Thanks, oh, and you are right. It does sound a lot like parenting, doesn't it?
Katie,
Thanks for showing up, girl.
Jean,
I think I may know one of your online supporters. Funny, she supports just about everyone who knows her.
So... did you get up two hours earlier this morning? ;) Love this! I have several good cheerleaders around me. The die-hard, there for me no matter what cheerleaders are my husband and my mom. So thankful for them!
I'm going to check out this challenge. My cheerleader is clearly my mom. Not sure who I would turn to besides God if she weren't around to pull me up and push me through it all.
amy, i will read every word you write. because everything youwrite is awesome. notice how people keep coming back to your blog? ummmm, it's because we like your writing.
I agree with Kendal.
You know who I call when I need a pep talk.
Did you know I tried out for cheerleading in high school? A friend made me. I didn't make it, she did. I pretended I didn't care, but I did. Darn those cheerleaders :)
great post!! :)
Amy,
"But I guess you know it doesn't work this way." Exactly.
We push and push, while daring to believe in our art. We are creating, we are winning the battle against the resistance. We are having a mountaintop moment...
and then comes the valley. It's dark, oppressive. We begin to doubt our belief in our work. It can become lonely.
God knows this. He tells us to not walk alone, but in 2's or 3's so someone can pick you up in you stumble. This isn't only a lesson for your faith in Him, but also for your belief in yourself.
Great post.
I love this tip....find your cheerleader and let them cheer you on, pick you, carry you through. Am thinking...What I would do without my husband who is my #1 cheerleader? (Although I can't quite see Him w/ pom poms or a mini skirt Lol) And also, God, who sees more than any words I put on a page...but the heart that I write from. And loves me anyway. (Even if I only get a few comments) Am reminded to turn to them much more than I have in the past & learn to receive praise with grace. A difficult thing at times.
Really? This is your post today? Yet another God incidence. I woke up today after reading 7 and trying to digest some Thomas Merton feeling though I had much to think on and nothing to say. Writer's block?
Sometimes I think God is watching me.
Oh yeah. He is.;)
Thanks for sharing this today! It's comforting to know other people ride the same needs-to-be-condemned-wooden-roller-coaster. Some days I'm smart enough to contact my cheerleaders. Other days God graciously prompts them to wave their pom-poms directly in my mopey face.
My Mom is definitely my cheerleader! Thanks for this, and thank you for visiting my blog. I also said "Darn you, Jeff Goins" today, when I got up at 5:30 this morning. :)
You inspire me, Amy. :)
Thanks everyone for showing up, reading, and sharing bits of you.
Each of your square little faces make me smile.
Love you.
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