And so I type...
Last weekend, on the Winter Solstice, we built a fire on the beach. My son had been begging to make s'mores and, Solstice being a good time for fires and it being a beautiful clear day, we indulged him. As we watched the first of the flames flicker and then roar to life, I noticed a woman walking across the beach. She joined us and asked if we were writing down things we wanted to leave behind and burning the papers. Not exactly, but what a brilliant idea! It didn't take me long to generate a list of mindsets that I'm trying to move past because they hold me back: negativity, fear, and procrastination. It felt amazing to throw my slip of paper into the flames and watch it burn into ashes almost instantly. If only that one simple act could banish these from my life forever, but alas...like anything worthwhile, hard work is required. It was, however, a powerful moment with which to mark a fresh start. Not that 2019 hasn't been a positive year for me--it's actually been something of a banner year on the writing front! I stretched myself and took risks, and I'm so happy that many of these paid off. Earlier in the year a writer friend called me (with the kindest of intentions) "ballsy" for pitching/submitting to large publications. But, the way I see it, the worst they can say is "no thanks." Aiming high (plus persistence with following up) scored me bylines in The New York Times, The Washington Post, AARP's Disrupt Aging Newsletter, and the Huffington Post. Yes, I spent a looooong time crafting my essays and pitches, but none of these opportunities would have happened if I hadn't had the courage to hit "send." So, I'm proud of myself for that. And grateful. I'm grateful to all of the wonderful editors I've worked with this year who have seen something worthwhile in my ideas and given me such helpful feedback. The challenge and satisfaction I get from struggling and then growing as a writer is addictive! I'm also grateful to people who read my work and have shared it and/or sent me comments. I wrote a couple of pretty vulnerable pieces this year and was so happy that my authenticity struck a positive chord with others. So back to those words I burned in the fire...even though negativity, fear, and procrastination won't ever magically disappear (I'm a writer, after all), I resolve to focus on their opposites--positivity, courage, and proactivity-- and continue pushing my creative limits in 2020. There are a couple of projects I've had on the back burner for quite a while and I think that now is the time to make them happen. Wishing everyone a new year--a new decade!--filled with POSITIVITY, COURAGE, and PROACTIVITY. Just imagine what we can all accomplish! |
Kelly McQuillan
Musings on creativity, productivity, and how to juggle it all with family life... Archives
December 2019
Categories |