“Slow down, slow down! The job will be there when you get there.” This morning, I heard a man say this to a woman as she brushed past him in the subway. I watched the scene from behind and realized that his statement meant more to me than to the speedy woman who pushed her way through a few more people (she was probably already at her desk whizzing through her morning emails at work before I could even step out into the cold).
I’ve had a fast paced week; everything and everyone seemed to be moving at warp speed. Or, was it me moving at the speed of light? The most frustrating part about the whole thing is that I’ve been working my butt off and I have yet to see the fruits of my labor – speed and all. So, what gives? My aggravation – I think – stems from the fact that I’ve handed over my last assignment two weeks ago and my recent pitches are probably floating around the inboxes of magazine editors (and hopefully not their email trash bins). Anxiety and self-doubt were slowly finding there way into my psyche. My energy level was rapidly declining as I found myself reluctant to research ideas, work on my novel, and follow-up on magazine query submissions. Why bother? I was working hard and doing a lot. But, I didn’t see the results.
Surprisingly, it was the words of a stranger that helped me to bolt from the dark side of second-guessing myself. Though I know I will inevitably fall into that dark place again and again, what truly matters is how quickly I bounce back. Today was all about slowing down and recognizing the things I have done and not what isn’t working or hasn’t happened for me. I’m focusing more on the positive things I’ve done in 2009 so far. Here are a few:
- Actively pitching ideas to local and national magazines.
- My visits to the bookstore and library have helped me identify and study a few new markets in both consumer and trade magazines; this helped me to steer clear of pitching ideas that were previously done by the publications.
- I’ve been writing my first novel and even when I fall off my schedule or it seems like I won’t do any writing at all, I commit to writing for 30 minutes.
After taking a break today and shifting my focus on the pros rather than the cons I feel less tension within myself. Slowing down to recognize your accomplishments will help rejuvenate your passions and stimulate your drive for success. Though writing jobs may not be flowing at the moment, I want to be sharp and ready when they do show up – not wrapped up in uncertainty.
When was the last time you slowed down to give yourself a pat on the back?
