Writerly Things 12/17/18: Being Kind to Yourself

Traci Kenworth

Forgiveness

It seems an appropriate time of year to talk about something very important. That is being kind to yourself. In our day-to-day experiences sometimes, we shuffle ourselves to the last on the list. Putting our family, friends, and others in a higher position than ourselves. Now, I’m not saying to treat others with disrespect or rudeness. What I am saying is that we often overlook ourselves. When’s the last time you forgave yourself for your shortcomings? We can’t always cross everything off our to-do list. We sometimes fumble with a situation we’re pressed with. This is when we need to have a bit of compassion for ourselves.

Compassion

We don’t shy away from giving others compassion when called for. At least, hopefully, we don’t. Otherwise, that might be a topic for another time. In life, we sometimes make decisions that are hard. Don’t cripple yourself for having made them. Often, we did what was necessary. Sure, we can wish we’d never been put in that position. Unfortunately, life often demands we be ruthless in some situations. We can come away with guilt, but we need to push that aside and realize we did what we had to. Especially when it comes to our children or family. We chose the best outcome that we can. Even if we didn’t, let that guilt slide.

Kindness

If you fall short of your goals, if you’ve accomplished very little this year, strive to be kind to yourself. There will always be something you’re working toward. Word Count. Querying. Publication. They’re just another hill to climb. You will get there. Meanwhile, enjoy your family, friends, your dreams. Kindness is one of the most powerful things we can extend to yourself and others. This is the season for it, but we should all strive to make it every season.

It’s been warm these last few days. Honestly, I would choose the cold if it brought no snow, or ice. I’ve still got three more rooms to organize. The bookshelves took the longest, putting authors together. I found some books that’ll help me with the stages coming up next. Some are research for future books. So, it was time well spent. I’m still polishing right now. I know it’s too late in the year to start querying. I want to get a few more eyes on this story before I send it out. It’s been hard, finding betas, and timing things just right so they’re not busy. I’ve entered some contests where I hope that might help. Some prizes were beta readers input. Have a great week, take care, and God bless!