Self-Motivation: a.k.a the Art of Sucking it up

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.
~~Wayne Dyer

Yeah, I know, we’ve all been told to suck it up a time or two, either by ourselves or someone else. That’s where I am at the present moment– deep in the midst of sucking it up. Want to join me?

I sometimes lack the motivation to write every day I wish it weren’t so, but it’s the truth.This doesn’t mean I don’t think about writing those times when I’m not actually doing it, because I can honestly say that scarcely a day goes by when I don’t at least think about my current WIP a few times and try to settle things in my mind.

Someone once told me I think too much. Well, I’m a writer. Writers need to spend as much time thinking as they do writing. Or at least this writer does. The worlds we create are not just on the page, but they take up residence in our minds as well.Sometimes there’s not a lot of room to spare.

I get the impression that other people think I never have my dark times, that everything’s always great in my world, that everything’s simply sunshine and roses. While I’ll admit that, I like to keep a positive attitude and I like to encourage others to do the same, everything isn’t always the way I’d like it to be any more than it is for anyone else. Like everyone else, I have my share of disappointments. It’s part of being human. The only thing is, I don’t often share those disappointments with others. I hang onto them in silence. It’s not a pretty thing when I whine. Believe me.

Today was one of those days when a little bit of everything was getting me down, when I was questioning my abilities, when, for a brief time, I wondered what would happen if I never wrote another word. Would anyone care or even notice? We live in a rather fickle society. We might not like to admit it but it’s the truth. It’s easy for someone to simply disappear unnoticed, unless you’re rich and famous. And, let’s face it, most of us aren’t.

Oh, for a time I certainly did have my doubts today.I even questioned the importance of writing to me, knowing that along the way there have been sacrifices and missed opportunities in other areas of my life because I am a writer, and because sometimes writing has to come first. I realize not everyone understands this and, sadly, I’ve seen where it has changed some of the friendships I have. Out of sight, out of mind. I don’t blame anyone. Sometimes I’m probably not much fun to be around. People begin to forget that you’re more than just what you’ve written or what you are writing. Because of this other side of my life, I can’t be everything to everyone the way I once could.I can’t drop what I’m doing and go play. There’s just not enough of me to go around. Let’s not forget that most writers have to work at something other than writing in order to make a living. I’m no exception.

So what to do? I’m not exactly sure. I can only be sure that whatever I do there will be someone out there who doesn’t approve. For now I can only follow my heart and go where it leads me. And even if everything I write from now on turns out to be nothing but drivel I’ll at least know that I spent my time doing what was important to me. If we go through life, living up to someone else’s expectations of who they want us to be, then that voice inside that is woven into our soul’s fabric will eventually wither and die, leaving behind nothing but some tattered remnants.

Today, my choice was “miserable”, but tomorrow it will darn well be “motivate.” It’s what has to be done and it IS my choice. Sometimes you’ve just got to suck it up and keep going. Because even if there’s not one person out there who cares if I ever write another word I can say, in all honesty that, I do. Let’s hope it stays that way. 🙂

Posted by Laura Best on June 10, 2011

https://lauraabest.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/self-motivation-a-k-a-the-art-of-sucking-it-up/