Take today for instance, I set two alarms. One for 4:30; one
for 4:45.
The first alarm is purely symbolic. I will not get up at
4:30 a.m. I simply refuse. I set the first one as a reminder that the second
one will be coming soon afterwards.
Once the first alarm goes off, I start my “mantra”. The
chorus to Kelly Clarkson’s “What Doesn’t Kill You” starts playing in my mind.
Then the second alarm rings. The “stronger” part of the song
is what makes me sit up. I repeat it out loud.
I don’t know about the majority of the world, but I can’t
see through the crud covering my eyes when I wake up. I trip over things, I
walk into walls and by the time I have everything gathered and I am heading out
the door, I feel like I’ve already had a morning workout. But I know by now
that this is just the beginning. My guru, Reggie, will make us work hard! And it’s
all worth been it because I can see the results. I started this journey
sometime around January and I am stronger.
Which is partially my point.
Yesterday was the end of a weekend writing retreat. My first
retreat in solitude. I have been to writing conferences, listened to speakers,
critiqued and had my own work critiqued in various small groups, but I have
never been to a retreat in which time was completely mine to manage. I could
read, sleep, write, draw. Basically, I was the instructor of my own writing
workout.
After working a couple hours the first day with a critique
group, I focused on revising a manuscript that I know has promise. Although I
didn’t meet the goal I had set for myself, I was astonished at how much I
accomplished.
Recently I read an article by Jody Hedlund on her website
about figuring out when you are finished revising, editing and ready to submit
your work. She suggested making it through each of her five points.
If you had asked me at this time two years ago if I could
make it through that list, no way. Last year, I was getting close but I still
didn’t feel strong enough. After reading
the article and coming back from writing intently all weekend, I am now ready.
Which brings me back to my morning workouts. Writing isn’t
so different than my time at the gym. Had I expected to hold a plank the first
week I attended boot camp? Could I dead lift without tipping over? No. And
neither was I ready as a writer to submit my work without building the
strength, core confidence and revising/editing endurance that it take to get a
manuscript in shape.
In all endeavors, I believe there is a part of each of us
that feeds our negative selves saying things like, “Your arms are still flabby!
Straighten your pose!” and “You use to way too many adverbs!” However, we have
to keep at it. Giving up, stopping in the middle, skipping our morning workouts
(physical and writing) adds fuel to that furnace of self-doubt.
I challenge you to set step-by-step goals, work towards them
and don’t give up. Whether they are mental, physical, spiritual or personal
goals, when you realize you can check each of those off your list as “accomplished”,
you will be transformed and a stronger person for it.
