Every once in a while, when things go really, really dark, I find myself speechless. I'm sure, deep down, I've something magical to say, but, before I can type asdfjkl;, my inner critic has a field day.
IC: You can't talk about that. THAT's not interesting.
IC: Complaining again. Nobody wants to hear about your elbow, soul, worms, thrush, love life, thoughts, etc.
IC: Really, why do you even bother writing??? Is it for you? Is it for them? Does THAT really contribute anything?
Struggling with that today, I flipped open one of my favorite writing books: The Pocket Muse.
Its advice: You have to be willing to write badly.
YES!!! Imperfection. Now we're on to something.
Wanting to "get it right"...I know I'm not the only creative person to struggle with this. My husband and I just discussed this very phenomena as he recently struggled to get his project off the ground.
His kick in the butt? An eye-opening quote by Ira Glass, Host and Executive Producer for “This American Life.”
Mine? Anna Quindlen's Commencement Speech at Mount Holyoke and this Chinese Proverb:
"Were I to await perfection, my book would never be finished."
SOOOOOOO, with that in mind, here's to bad blog posts, being boring, feeling badly, and doing it anyway. Take a minute today to appreciate your own wonderful, messy, authentic self.
You. Are. So. Beautiful.
Altered Today: Loving the yuck
Great blog, so inspiring. I forget that doing imperfectly is better than not doing at all. I am now inspired to do my work badly or not and let go of the perfectionist voice in my head. Thank you just the message I needed to hear today.
Posted by: Nicole | 09/19/2011 at 01:29 AM
I always love the way you write so authentically, Kathy. People relate to that. I relate to that. Perfection is such a big fat lie that gives nothing back in return except for emptiness. We might be a big beautiful mess but there's a great work in progress. You are beautiful too. Don't. Ever. Forget. It.
Posted by: Michelle Holderman | 09/21/2011 at 07:01 PM