Saturday, November 17, 2012

Finishing My Book

As the year draws to an end, I am finishing up the books I had on my 2012 queue. Current read? The Happiness Project. As a writer myself, I was intrigued by the author's decision to leave law and finally follow her writing aspirations. I'm so happy for her, but for me, I need financial stability before I can leave my job. In her book though, she has a list of Adult Truths she shares at the beginning of the book. One, for example is "what you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while." If I'm being honest with myself, I am doing nothing to pursue my writing bug. You know this is a great source of conflict for me. So, I came up with an adult truth of my own. Are you ready for it?

It won't get done unless I do it.

Yes.

You may be wondering, what is "it" ? Well, "it" could be anything. The dishes, for example, won't get done unless I wash them. The mail won't be dropped off at the post office unless I drive the letters there. Sure, sometimes my boyfriend helps me out with my "to do list" (he truly is wonderful), but at the end of the day, I can't make anyone do anything for me. Everything in my life that I want to get done ultimately falls on me to do. (Geez, that sounds so responsible!) Not only does this adult truth apply to chores, it applies to my writing. My book will not get written unless I seriously find time to sit down and write. I often stop myself before I even begin because I think "everyone has already written about this subject. I have nothing new to offer." I'm realizing my crippling mental conversation is a lie. While there are people who have experienced similar events as me, no one has had my exact experience, and no writer will portray my experiences the way I would.

So, does this mean I'm quitting my job to be a full time writer? Do you know me at all? Of course not. I like to eat, and I need to know where my next meal is coming from to feel content. This realization does mean, however, that I have been devoting time to writing. Every day this week I have written or edited a poem. Today I spent a good two hours working on my book. And, most importantly, I've set three very tangible writing goals for myself in the next month and a half. (Since I'm off Facebook until New Year's, I feel these goals are very attainable.)

I'm wondering if anyone out there has read the Happiness Project, and if so, what stuck with you most. Also, do you have any adult truths of your own to share?

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