These things scare me:
- Driving over bridges
- Getting lost
- Clowns
- Dolls
My worst nightmare would be getting lost in a strange, bridge-filled city, looking in my rear view mirror and seeing this:
Image Credit
Sometimes fears are good; they keep us safe. A fear of jumping into a pool filled with man-eating sharks with frickin’ laser-beams attached to their heads, just might keep you alive should the wrong set of circumstances converge.
A lot of the time (perhaps even most of the time?) though, fears have a way of holding us back. Safety is important, but one day, when I look back, I don’t want to say, “That was a good, safe life”.
I want to say, “That was spectacular”.
Succeed or fail, I want to do it in a big way.
Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do one thing every day that scares you”. I’m not quite at the every day level yet myself, but I’m working on it.
That’s why I’ve decided it’s time to give this writing thing all that I have. I’m working hard on finishing my first novel and I’ve begun outlining a couple more. I signed up for a writer’s conference. I’ve joined a critique group* in a nearby city and and looking into forming a new one here. I’m making a go of this and it’s absolutely, positively, terrifyingly wonderful.
What fears would you like to break free of? What’s stopping you?
*Oh yeah, and the leader of my critique group? She’s a professional clown. Seriously.
My mom was in a writing critique group but it was frustrating for her. None of the writers really wanted to share their writing because they thought that the other people would steal their ideas! So it was sort of not very helpful. Plus people were mean.
I hope her experience was unique and you have a good group!
That’s terrible. I definitely have not had the same kind of experience.
SO GLAD TO HEAR IT!!!! Can’t wait to read your first book! When you decide to write kids’ books, let me know. I want a critique group for that.
Thanks Cynthia! I do write for kids: middle-grade/YA. Are you writing too? We should talk.
[...] to get on the table, right? Between running Newt to her classes and activities, homeschooling and spending extra hours in front of my laptop, I’m finding it more important than ever. This dish is nearly perfect. It takes only minutes [...]
LOL! (I’m part of the writer’s group that Heidi joined; we’re not too mean especially if you bring food offerings!).
I’m not a professional clown as much as a professional mime…is that the same thing?
They both give me goosebumps, but knowing it’s you under the makeup would make things ever so much better. Who could be afraid of someone so awesome?