Sometimes I know exactly what I need to hear. But telling myself something just isn't the same as hearing it from someone else.
Right now I just need to hear that I should do the thing(s) I'm afraid to do.
I can't tell myself, because I don't listen to myself, so I'm going to tell you instead. In case anyone else needs to hear it, this is what I'm telling you, in earnest, from the heart: whatever you're afraid of, do it anyway. Go for the thing you think you can't achieve. Write the manuscript you think you can't handle. Query the big agent you're sure will form-letter reject you. Move across the country just because you're tired of the weather. Adopt a cat even though your apartment is tiny and you don't know where the litter box would go. Apply for the job you don't think you'll get, or for the school you're sure won't ever let you in. Lean in for the kiss, ask your crush out, buy the ring, sit down across from the cute person at the coffee shop.
There are a lot of good reasons not to do something. But being afraid isn't one. It's the worst reason I can think of to hold yourself back.
Thanks Alex! This is just the kind of post I've been needing to read! Great job and good luck doing the things that scare you! :)
ReplyDelete~Ella
Good advice!! But really hard to take sometimes! I'm not always as brave as I should be! :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your decision!
I'm bookmarking this one. SO needed to hear this. :)
ReplyDeleteAnother awesome post, Alexandra. :)
ReplyDeleteNow... what if it's not fear holding me back, but a bone-deep tiredness and lack of motivation??? Got any cures for that? No? Okay. :P
YEEEAH! Dude, there were a couple agents I queried that I secretly thought, "She will never EVER ask to see anything I've written. Never." And every person I thought that about has requested at least a partial, if not a full. You know who didn't ask for anything yet? The ones I thought were a shoo-in. BOOYAH. So sometimes, not only should you not be afraid, you should ask yourself: What if the whole reason for your fear is WRONG? What if things go in a completely different direction than you thought?
ReplyDeleteThis is so great! I recently took a road trip (about 4000 miles) by myself. Something I had wanted to do for a long time, but could never line up my schedule with my friends. But I started a lot smaller, book festivals on my own, etc. I used to feel like I always had to do things with other people and I missed out on a lot when I couldn't find people to attend events with me.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteApologies for the off-topic comment, but I couldn't find a contact email for you.
I recently put out an ebook of my writing, called The New Death and others. It's a collection of short pieces, mostly dark fantasy.
I was wondering if you'd be interested in doing a review on your blog.
If so, please email me: news@apolitical.info. Let me know what file format is easiest for you, and I'll send you a free copy.
You can download a sample from the ebook's page on Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92126
I'm also happy to do interviews, guest posts, or giveaways. Just let me know what you'd prefer.
Yours,
James.
Thanks for the inspirational words. Now I'm off to wrestle a bear and ask for a raise.
ReplyDelete+followed