Skip to main content

Believe In Yourself: Reflections


As you know I've been trying to get a few projects off the ground for a few months if not years now. Many things have happened between idea, concept and even personal life. My plans for my YouTube channel and even this blog haven't panned out and recently I underwent a surgery that had me laid up in bed for a little over a week and two weeks off work. Add in the holidays on top of all that and here we are in the New Year. Things just happen but we can't let that stop us. We have to stop and reflect on what got in our way, what we can do to change, where we have been, want to go and where and who we want to be. So many things can go through your head when you reflect and planning can only take you so far. But let's stop there for now as that is a topic for another time.

What lead me to this path I am on currently, is our topic today - REFLECTION. Something I do often and I have done a lot lately to remind me why I have chosen the path I am on. My current demands in both my personal and work life can be overwhelming at times and reflecting on my choices, goals, where I've been, where I'm going and so on helps keep me from being dragged down. It helps remind me I can do this and I just need to take a step back for a second to rethink. I feel this is the same when I'm writing an outline or working a story plot. The first step towards any path in a person's life (real or fictional) is to know who we are, how we see ourselves, where we have been, what we think we can do, what we believe is achievable and so on. This is done through reflection. Here is a saying I have written down in one of my journals from college. It's something I wrote to remind myself every day.

"Before we can truly know or understand someone or something we must first be able to understand our own intentions."

This is only done through reflection.

One of the first things I tell people who come to a writing course with me is if you want to be a writer you must first understand who you really are. Go take a really good hard look at yourself in the mirror. Let yourself really see you for the first time. It is something to see when I see say this to a room full of new bright-eyed unpublished writers and/or full-grown adults, mostly older than me. Why? Most people haven't or don't want to be Alice and walk through the looking glass. Who really wants to know what is on the other side; but to be successful, truly happy, grow, understanding, have true empathy, and the desire to improve you must take those hard looks in the mirror at yourself and I'm here to tell you, you won't always like what reflects back at you.

First, you need to know how to look into your mirror. How to do self-reflection? Some may call it meditation. Others, prayer. Whatever works for you. You can use any technique you like. YOu can journal, too. I tend to use meditation and journal. I don't do it daily, but you can. Weekly is good but do it at least monthly to get started. It's just KEY you get started. It is also important you find a good time in the day to self reflect. Mine is in the early mornings or late evenings when no one in my home is awake. This way I know I won't be disturbed. The house is quiet and I can either sit in total silence or play very soft music. Sometimes, I even use candles and I find this gives a nice setting and mood to my personal reflection. You will learn what works for you over time as I have done through the years by trial and error.

The biggest thing I have learned with reflection is putting my ego aside. Letting myself freely think and explore thought. This works in both my personal life and in my writing. I find answers to questions I may be struggling to find. I course correct when I start to wonder. So many things happen when I take the time to just reflect and it reminds me how our impact on the world no matter how great or small still matters to those we touch in our lives with our words and actions.

Watch the YouTube Video on Reflection Here!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

What is Your Writing Priority?

Every New Year, people sit down and write out their resolutions on the things they want to happen over the next year. The lists can be long or short, it doesn’t matter. We all have done it, but how often do you complete the goals listed? Rarely in my case; so I spent all of January doing more than just writing my New Year Resolutions, I spent time thinking about what I really wanted to see happen in 2015 and then took it a step further by listing ways to make those things happen. I also looked long and hard at the things I have been working on and doing. I evaluated each of them and the ones that weren’t taking me where I wanted to be I dropped off my list of things to work on in the New Year.  Once I was happy with the list I had, I began looking at my time and seeing if there was enough time in my week and daily to work on each item. In some cases…I didn’t. I was right back to reworking my list and making sure I was putting goals in the right priority. A few things at ...
Read more

World of Ink Interview with author Judy Snider and Illustrator Cady B. Driver

Judy Snider , Joan’s sister lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with her husband, Gil, and two silly cats. She is the author of the CWA award-winning children’s picture book, Goldy’s Baby Socks , and on a team of authors of The Scared Purse . The Writing Mama Interview with author Judy Snider     VS: What do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life? Judy: It is easier now that my kids are in their 20’s and out of the home. I get up very early, and some of the best writing I do is in a sunny place with a glass of water or coffee and my silly cats nearby. When my oldest was a baby, I took a write-away-course, and would write when he took his naps. Some of my best writing was at a table while I waited in those days for them at parties, video arcades, etc.  I work out of my home on projects, so working with my sister on our latest book, and the phone usually did Cady Driver, our illustrator. VS: How long have you been writing? Judy: I wrote my...
Read more