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AngelaPeart, August McLaughlin, Diane Israel, Fears, Gloria Richard, Goals, Mark D. Sanders, Tia Sillers, Writes
FEAR.
Silent. Insidious. Debilitating. FEAR.
I don’t know whether it was the cosmos, the stars or coincidence that brought fear in many facets to my blog reads this week.
I don’t care why or how I chose to read and internalize them.
I’m simply grateful the words met and danced with my brain cells. Why?
Because two blog posts inspired me to collect my goal marbles, pull them back into the circle, and examine my game strategy.
Examine? SNORT! Initiate a game strategy, more like.
I WANT TO DANCE
I have three copies of a journal I LOVE.
Why three?
Certainly not because the first two brimmed with words-of-wisdom my grandchildren would read one day. Pages with edited words and imperfect penmanship bit the recycle-bin bullet.
[For the record, I have excellent penmanship and a Handwriting Certificate from the Martinsburg, PA. Elementary School Principal to prove it.]
Mark D. Sanders & Tia Sillers
So, I bought another journal. And now I have three.
At the age this picture was taken, I remember two thumb-sucking* fears that caused bedtime angst.
The first fear? It was the summer before third grade. The Year of Long Division. Doomed! I did not know anything about long division. Disaster! Destined to fail third grade.
The second fear? My mother would turn thirty on her next birthday. Thirty! Ancient! She was old! About to keel over! Who would make and iron our clothes? Who would feed us?
*I sucked my thumb until third grade. Most likely because of the monumental catastrophes ’round the next bend. Psychologist today might suggest it was a result of mom leading the baby-a-year club for four years. She was right about my teeth, tho’. They have a slight Bugs Bunny appeal.
YOU CAN’T DANCE WITH YOUR THUMB IN YOUR MOUTH
My grown-up (assuming I have) substitute for managing fear sneaked up on me in the Pretty Pink alliterative guise of Perfectionism and Procrastination. Throw on some “I’m not good enough” tap-dance shoes and you have the requisite trappings for…
Nothing.
Misdirected energy, ill-advised thinking-about-it, and tardy it-will-happen-tomorrows.
Those ROW80 goals that earned accolades? I fear looking at them. I fear reporting on them. Because I procrastinated and achievements lag far behind goals.
So, I’ve been craftily silent on the ROW80 hops. If I don’t dip my oar in those murky reporting waters, who will notice?
Me.
I notice.
I send myself spiraling into a Fred-and-Ginger-worthy tap-dance-twirl that made them famous and me just plain nauseous.
Tomorrow, I plan to lay it all out. Right here. In public. *gasp*
Take those goals Sherry Isaac examined in her Wednesday post in my hammock. Evaluate, revise, get ready for some boot scootin’.
And, why is it different today than last Sunday, two or three or four Sundays ago?
Because I found inspiration of the !!!! level in two rocking posts.
TUNES I CAN DANCE TO
Many blogs inspired this week, but two rocked my world and I choose to share them with you today. Don’t take these excerpts alone. Do yourself a favor and link over to these sites to read the full posts. They are incredible and motivating.
AUGUST McLAUGHLIN (Writer, Journalist and author of IN HER SHADOW) interviewed Filmmaker Diane Israel on Beauty, Healing & Feeling to be Free.
Following is one of many excerpts I found profound and moving:
AM: What can we do to help make the world we live in a more accepting place—where we accept not only others, but our selves?
DI: Start with yourself end with yourself. Then get out of yourself and serve. Remember how awesome you are, that you were born awesome and you will die awesome. This acceptance of everything that you are, the entire package, will serve you well. What are you becoming? What are you living with this one wild and precious life?
Click here to read the full post.
Well, I don’t know about you, but I choose to do more than suck my thumb for the rest of my life.
After that kick into gear, I ran across another post about facing down fears and getting on with living and learning and achieving.
This one was a post by Angela Orlowski-Peart on how she overcame her old fear of skiing. Click here for the full article. This is the excerpt that moved me into action.
One time down the slope and it all came back to me. But this time I felt happy, relaxed and I believed in myself. I knew that my mental block was gone, replaced by willingness to learn and experience more. I was ready to take this to the whole new level.
I HOPE YOU DANCE, TOO
Will these words stay with me? I hope so. I know they moved me to examine where I am today with my goals and what self-defeating behaviors hold me back. I know they caused me to look back at those thumb-sucking days when irrational fears didn’t hold me back. That mother of mine (who did not kick the bucket at thirty) drilled one phrase into all five of her daughters. “You can do whatever you set your mind to do.”
So, how about you? Did you find these quotes helpful? Are there silent-but-deadly fears lurking in your life, separating you from your dreams? LEAVE A COMMENT and let me know what’s on your mind. We LOVE to hear from you!
Oh! Out of not-so-idle curiosity…
Did you think the title led down a different topic path? I chose it on purpose. Because I’m goofy crafty goofy that way.
Gloria Richard 
You’ve chosen two great inspirations. I already follow Angela’s blog, but I somehow missed this post. I’ll check out hers and August McLaughlin’s. Thanks for an uplifting Sunday morning post!
Aren’t they great? I stopped trying to make the “big picture” perfect yesterday on glob changes. Phew! One niggling show-stopper off my plate.
Today was Holy Roller day at church (my name for the days we volunteer to roll breakfast burritos). You think 5 a.m. is early?
Try 2:30. That’s when I awoke and thought, “A blog post written at 2:30 will not be perfect, but it will be done.”
Thanks for popping in to say “hi!” Brinda.
Gloria,
This post speaks to me too. I think in my case, overcoming my own fears are a matter of confidence in myself, owning my abilities and stories, and maturing through writingwritingwriting. I keep coming back to the concept that a skill requires 10,000 hours to attain and hone.
I have to remember that when I’m discouraged with my quality and frustrated in my inability to structure my story and express what I wish to convey.
I used to do all those writing challenges too, then publicly confess and do penance when I didn’t succeed. Then I decided to leave all that behind, strike out on my own and do what feels right for me. I stopped jumping through all the hoops the online playground leaders decreed were required to succeed and I’m doing what’s right for me.
were required for success.
Great comments, Pamela! And, yes, I believe we need to do what feels right for each of us.
In defense of Row80, it’s a great group of writers who post goals that include balance. Their motto: “The Writing Challenge that knows you have a life.”
MANY participants restate goals during each quarterly period. Many post what they did right, with comments on why or how they didn’t achieve others
In all instances, members of the group cheer participants and acknowledge that Writers Have a Life. I’m the one who thought anything less than perfect wasn’t good enough.
And, some of us bite off more than our Bugs Bunny teeth want to chew. SO glad you popped in with your success story on what works for you!
This post was inspiring, Gloria. Thank you. I follow August’s post, and those words you quoted are some of my favorite. On another note, how adorable and hilarious that you were scared of your mother turning 30! OMG – I turn 31 this year. Must mean I’m going to die! 🙂
I’m pleased you enjoyed the post, April. I’ve followed August since the early days of WANA 112 and her BOAW campaign.
Her posts never disappoint.
I have to peek at your blog later today to see if you’ve yet implemented a WANA112 inspired theme. I’m still wobbling on mine, but — guess what! — I’m not going to hold up important changes and posts.
I hope you pop in tomorrow to see what I’m up to. You have been a model of communication and group promotion throughout WANA112. I know you’ll build your brand.
Fear comes in many forms, and if you don’t watch it it can subsume your life. I find just sitting down every day trying to write my daily quota is daunting. That’s why I love the timer. I can set it and whatever I get done, is good. If I do my three timed sessions and I don’t get the to the magic number, well at least I put in the time. But usually, I’m so close that if I can get over that fear that the words suck then I can sit back down and keep writing. Because I can always fix them later. Very few decisions are ones that you can’t fix later. Even when you make a mistake at long division you usually get the opportunity to come back and fix it. Unless you have a very mean teacher!
You’re my HERO on what you accomplish and the PLATES you keep twirling on those spindly sticks. Healthy living, busy family, recently published (WOOT!), regular exercise, lead volunteer at CRW, two blogs when most of us had none…
Okay. I’m exhausted.
What would I have done if you’d attended a different Immersion Master Class? Well, for one thing, I would have gone without an over-the-counter pharmaceutical rep for my bronchitis living right next door to me.
And, guess what! Not only did I master long division, the teacher selected ME to be one of three students demonstrating a new math technique on TELEVISION! A viewing audience of 10, I’m sure. Well, maybe 18, if I count my hard-working dairy-farm country relatives who owned a television.
Gloria, Fear can be our worst enemy or our best friend. When we decide to live the life we really want inspite of it, we find a new freedom. I loved this post because it reminded me of an old journal. The dark times before I decided to let the other me free. It was a dark time, but it no longer frightens me. Why do people like us use laughter and music to set our spirits soaring? Because we know they are the best part of who we are. This is part of a very old journal of a young girl who was me:
“Someone in me … the other one … reminds me … we fail a lot so don’t get your hopes up. She knows me better than you do by the way and she has already told me that this new thing I want so much. To finally do what I wanted so very long ago? She’ll tell you in a NY minute. I’ll fuck it up somehow. I have no talent.
But there is a small voice who wants to be heard. She told me a long time ago. Let me out and I’ll help us. Set me free and we’ll both fly to the highest heights. Believe in me and we’ll both do what no one ever expected us to do.
The other bitch thinks all of that is laughable. Right, I’ll let you go straight to hell where you belong you dumb ass.”
I killed the other bitch and now I am having one hell of a good time. You go girl 🙂
WOW, just WOW on that journal entry, Florence. Knowing you and your gumption (yeah, old fashioned word, but I like it) I’m surprised that other bitch survived long enough to warrant a personal journal entry.
What you wrote, though, is a text-book example of how journals can exorcise those bad kids who took up residence in our brains.
Soar high, kindred spirit!
Hi Gloria.
Quick, whats 87 divided by 14. Come on, come on.
I had a similar fear of long division, but my dad used to smack me over the back of my head if my thumb went near my mouth. Which might explain a thing or two…
I agree with your mum, you can do what ever you set your mind to, or to do something, you actually have to WANT to do it.
Cheers!
I worked this using mental math this morning. No paper, no calculator, no pencils. Just me and my noggin.
And, I’m putting my answer out here before I double-check myself.
See! A brave, new ME! Mental math says! 6.215
And, my iPhone says!
WRONG! I forgot to carry the one (or something). It’s 6.2142857142857142857….
Did you intentionally pick a problem that had no finite solution? Where is that ruler?
Cheers back atcha!
Such a lovely post, Gloria. “You can’t dance with your thumb in your mouth.” — Profound!
Thanks so much for sharing my link. I’m thrilled to know the post inspired you. Diane definitely inspires me. Take best care of you and KEEP DANCING! 🙂
So glad you visited, August. I hope those who linked back to read the full post also subscribed.
Your posts never disappoint. I always take away a bit of inspiration. Diane was incredible. As are your own posts. I’ll see you at your place soon!
Gloria, thank you for choosing my post for your article. August’s post was very inspiring to me too.
Your mom was right – “You can do whatever you set your mind to do.” My mom told me the same and I always follow this advice 🙂
Angela, now we BOTH know my mom was right.
I read the paragraph I quoted here multiple times, internalizing the strength in the words. Well said!
Forgive me if this has already been said, but have you heard that country song “I hope you Dance” by Leann Womak? Oh, it’s one of my favorites, and if you haven’t heard it, I beg you to go over to Youtube and take a listen. You’ll love it, too!
Your first fears made me giggle. Actually, though, each resonates with personally. I was right there with you on long division. I think what was — is — so awful about it is that the whole time you’re thinking you’re on the right track; minutes go by and you keep pulling numbers down, carrying the 1, etc… and then you come to the end and realize you didn’t get it right! All that work, and not even half-credit. Boo! I also had those debilitating fear my mother would get old and leave this world; then who would take care of me? I still have that fear actually; though these days I mostly take care of her. Your most recent fears did not make me giggle. These are mine own, too, and can very easily become trapped. I will be praying for us both, that we dare and dance!
Thank you for sharing the quotes; absolutely inspiring!
Happy Dancing Sunday, Gloria! Xoxo
SO glad you mentioned the song, Cara. Yes, I love that song. The lyrics are in the first pages of the journal.
Interesting you mention long division–the bit about coming to the end and realizing you didn’t get it right.
BOING!
A thought-bubble forms. That fear didn’t stop me when I was a kid. I started over. I solved the problem. I didn’t let fear get in the way of my goals.
Thank you!
Happy dancing, indeed. That’s what I need to do. Write in first draft mode–even if it doesn’t yield the perfect answer at the end. Then, erase the bits that don’t work and rework it.
Now, all I need is a Big Chief Tablet and some sharpened pencils. Thanks so much, my friend.
Holding on to strongholds in a storm always help with overcoming fear. No matter what we are always learning, always better, life is about changing. Yes sometimes we don’t achieve our goals and all that junk, but you know what BLEH! You are an amazing person that makes us realize we are not alone in this. Now let’s dance!
You are so RIGHT, Hildie. I do hold on to strongholds — and, one of them is the knowledge that Mom was right. I can do anything I set my mind to do.
I took a break to learn the craft after completing two manuscripts. I now have to adjust to my new reality, which is conscious competence. I know what it takes to craft a page-turner.
Enter Inner Editor Gracie. My first two manuscripts flew from brain to fingers. Why? I didn’t know that I didn’t know squat. I wrote for the sheer pleasure of letting characters play in my noggin.
So, I produced some wonderful FIRST DRAFTS in record time. At my THEN level of unconscious incompetence, I thought I had polished manuscripts. I need to have a chat with Gracie–much like the one Florence shared with us in her comments.
I dance like no one is watching. Subliminally messaging myself “then, write like no one is reading.” YET.
Great post Glo!
Thanks, Niki! Now you know why your mom’s teeth are straight and mine aren’t. These slightly Bugs Bunny chompers don’t run in the family. Oh. And, no. Do not tell those two adorable grand nieces Aunt Glo sucked her thumb until she was in third grade.
Write like no one is reading – fabulous, Gloria.
Your wise post, and the wise posts from August and Angela, brought to mind some words of wisdom from a mentor when I was in my teens. Olive, a woman I started out babysitting for who I now recall as probably the wisest, most gracious woman I have ever been blessed to know, said words to the effect of: When I die, I don’t want people to talk about what I clean house I kept. I want them to talk about how they felt in my presence.
God bless you, Olive. I still think of you.
WONDERFUL sentiment, Sherry. I’ve heard similar and they always strike a cord.
I don’t want people to remember me for what I said and did, but rather how I made them feel.
For the record, you make me feel happy and blessed. [Yeah, yeah. Corny. True, but corny.]