Off to a Shaky Start....
Hello Everyone, I hope you’re all well and fully recovered after all the festivities, although New Year’s Eve already feels like ages ago. I wonder how many of us made resolutions that are already starting to feel impossible, some people have already toppled off the Dry January wagon and have reached for a large glass of wine while others greet a chocolate bar like a long lost friend. After only two weeks into 2023, it seems a bit premature to decide there’s no hope, so let’s agree to not give up just yet, what do you say?
Speaking for myself, the year did not start in glowing form, the ongoing health issues were one thing but what felt worse, was the new novel I’d started writing just wasn’t working at all. After several thousand words, there was no escaping the fact, it was awful and so it’s been scrapped completely. Naturally, what followed were a few emotional days, where I decided, I’d never write anything more than a shopping list. But thankfully that time has passed and yes, you’ve guessed, I’m back at the laptop! The new approach to the story is infinitely better and so I’m very happy to be starting again, being brave enough to hit that delete button was absolutely the right thing.
So you see, I do know what it’s like to feel you’ve failed even before you started but, in reality, that’s almost never true. Rather than simply give up, it seems the best choice is to take a step back and take a moment to regroup before trying again. Those dear people who, when facing stressful situations, reached for the wine or chocolate, shouldn’t be beating themselves up at all-we are only human and every so often we get overwhelmed, that’s just a fact of life.
Furthermore I also believe it’s important to realise how we sometimes speak to ourselves, I can freely admit I’m far more critical towards myself than I would ever dream of being to anyone else. I don’t believe I’m alone in feeling that way, how many of us have looked in the mirror and only seen flaws? How many of us have inwardly told ourselves that we are stupid for some reason? And perhaps worse still, how many of us have callously dismissed our efforts as pointless? All things we would probably never say to someone else and yet come all too easily when we are the focus.
With all that said, alongside your own personal resolutions, I’m going to suggest a couple more, the first is, let’s try being kinder to ourselves, less harsh and more compassionate and secondly, however hard it gets through 2023, let’s agree not to quit. Everyone has a unique purpose, so even if it gets to the point where we start to feel completely lost and hopeless, let’s try and remember that we are each a vital part of a larger whole. Whether we are rich or poor, regardless of what job we might do or where we live, this world would be less if even one of us wasn’t here.
Anyway, I’ll let you get on with your day, thank you so much for stopping by, you should know, you’re always welcome...until the next time...
Take very good care out there xxxxx
