Showing Up
I finished a book last night. I don’t mean I finished reading one—I finished 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 one.
You guys. I finished a book last night. I don’t mean I finished reading one—I finished 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 one. After a week-long intensive writing retreat at home, and after three years of drafts and 15 years of talking about it, I finished it.
Who knows what will come next—if I’ll find a publisher or if I’ll publish it on my own. I know from experience with my previous books that writing it is just the first step. And normally, because I fret about everything that comes next—the potential rejection!—I don’t share publicly that I’ve completed something. Because what if what comes next is a flop and disappointment? What if no one likes what I’ve worked hard to create? What if you all see me try and fail?
But being afraid of failing at what comes next keeps me from celebrating what I’ve just accomplished. And I’m proud of having written this thing, no matter where or how it ends up.
So this is me, showing up, saying I’m proud of what I’ve made. And I’m OK if you all watch me fail at what comes next. I’m OK being seen in-progress. And if the next stage is hard and discouraging, I know I’m resilient and will keep going. I trust myself.
And I don’t really even believe in failure because everything teaches us. Everything helps us grow.
And for right now I’m here, now, full of hope, sharing this hope with you.