Organically Speaking: Writing that Makes a Difference

Life is full of surprises. Yesterday, I think I had one of those “valley” experiences—the period of intense self-doubt after a really rewarding or successful event. The reality of my first book signing hit me with all the force of a baseball bat in the gut. I was talking to people, telling them to come to my event. I looked calm, collected, and confident. But inside, I was shaking in my boots.

Art involves risk. Anything that comes from your soul that you choose to share with others involves risk. As I sulked and beat myself up yesterday afternoon, I picked up a book that I’d been meaning to read for years. The words spoke to my heart, lifted my spirit, and made me believe again in what it is I do.

We can’t control the way people react to us or our art. We can only speak from a place of truth and trust that others will recognize it. Life is all about riding the wave. The journey, not the destination. How we live our lives, the seeds that we plant; not necessarily what we achieve or whether we ever see our seeds bear fruit.

Go out and risk something of yourself today.

Yesterday was a really good day. I negotiated a raise, pitched an idea for a developing a new online training course, and booked an author event at my local Barnes & Noble. And, true to the Rule of Threes, I found a fortune cookie-sized rejection slip from yet another magazine in my mailbox. But of course, the rejection didn’t matter. Tomorrow could be a bad day. I know that circumstances may cluster together to make me wonder if I’m a failure or that it’s just too hard to keep trying. But if I pause to remember why I believe in what I’m doing and clear my mind of everything else, I am fearless.

Anything that’s worthwhile requires risk and sacrifice. Too many times we miss out on opportunities because we’re afraid of looking stupid, being rejected, or being ridiculed. Whatever your opportunity, whether it’s an opening to encourage a neighbor, express your love to someone, pitch an idea at work, or chase your artistic dream, you have to be fearless. Know your worth, fill your heart, and step out boldly. What’s worse is failing because you were too scared to try.

I want to be fearless in everything I do. Don’t you?

Christmas can be of the most trying times of year for many people. I suppose it’s because many of us spend more time with our extended families than we’d care to. Families are strange beasts. Sometimes I feel like no one really knows who I am, because they haven’t spent the time to get to know who I am now—all they see is the person they grew up with or knew ten years ago. Sometimes I feel frozen in a little bubble of time. The way they remember me is who I’ll always be. Time with family is rewarding, but it can be infuriating as well. My family knows exactly what buttons to push—they know all my weak spots, and sometimes it seems they actually enjoy making me suffer.

In chronic pain circles, there’s a saying, “Fake it till you make it.” Which means: just push on through it, even when you think you can’t last another minute without giving up, until you make it through whatever you’ve set out to do.

This holiday season, when your family is driving you crazy, and all you can think of is a quick escape route, try to speak the truth to yourself. You love them. They love you. The truth about love does not change with circumstance or emotion. Acting with love is always a decision. So speak the truth to yourself, over and over, until the warm fuzzy feelings come. Open your heart and channel the sunshine.

This Christmas, fake it till you feel it.