Do what we can.....

Theodore Roosevelt said "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." That is the inverted tragedy of this writer’s life. Grass is always greener, I want that instead of this, if I could write like that I would be........
Does any other writer identify? How do I as a writer do what I can? How do I focus on what I have instead of what I want? How do I keep my head and feet where I am?

The greatest obstacle I must overcome every day in order to write is my own mind. Every original act of writing is an acknowledgement that I achieved something today. I planted myself at my desk not just in body, but in mind. I controlled my mind instead of letting my mind control me.

In the shower, on my walk, driving down the highway in my car I am always brimming with ideas, imagination and creativity. When I sit down at the laptop I struggle to find these gems and put them to use. What I fail to remember is my writing energy is all around me all the time.

I am the one who stops the flow of my creative energy no one else. I may give my energy away willingly, but I must always remember it was my choice to do so. My creative energy is me; energy is the writer in me. I'm the writer who wants to commit to living by bringing characters to life, imagining towns and creating a world where strife is or isn't a way of life.

For years I devalued my talent, my gift. I devalued myself and my achievements. I devalued my desires and my feelings. In order to write I must learn to understand myself, appreciate who I am and discover my true self and express her. I must become so strong that I sway for no one in accepting who my true self is. Through my creativity I can celebrate who I am. I can write those parts of me that I like, love or am still working on. I can nourish the vitality of my existence through developing a story and characters that replace the negative in me with positive thoughts of me.  

I know my success begins in my mind and that my attitude determines how I write my day. As I sit down at the laptop my thoughts in the moment will determine my actions. If I am thinking that I have nothing to say then I will have nothing to write. Whatever I think about myself that day will determine how much I write.

Writing is a habit and the other side of that is not writing is also a habit. I may have the desire to live up to my gift, my talent, but the attitude may not be great enough. There are times when my expectations far out way my talent for the day, but I must set the pace anyway. I must set the pace for progress no matter what my attitude. I must make progress today and every day. I must form the habit to write while breaking the habit not to write.

Some days I head to the laptop with great anticipation and other days heading to the laptop is an overwhelming chore. Whatever I become accustomed to believing about myself is what will guide my success or assure my failure. I must handle those days when I cannot write the same as when I can with utter poise and grace. My progress must always be recorded in word count or in page.

I am the only one who determines the success of my day. I am what I make up my mind to be………..