Thanks Alex J. Cavanaugh |
Here are your brilliant and thoroughly amazing co-hosts this month.
L.G. Keltner http://lgkeltner.blogspot.com/
Denise Covey http://dencovey.blogspot.com/
Sheri Larsen http://www.salarsenbooks.com/
J.Q. Rose http://www.jqrose.com/
Chemist Ken http://hogwartssabbatical.blogspot.com/
Michelle Wallace http://www.writer-in-transit.co.za
Some questions about INSECURITY.
- If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you have confidence? How can you not be insecure?
- Some people just aren’t going to like you or what you create. Does that mean you’re not a good person? Does that mean that what you create has no value?
- That critical inner voice came from painful life experiences when you were young. As an adult isn’t it time to examine that voice, its origin, and then silence it?
Quote of the Week: “Practice any art, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.” Kurt Vonnegut
Do insecurities hold you back from taking risks with your craft, your art or your life choices? Do you hear that inner critic and listen or turn a deaf ear?
If you’re not a IWSG member, get on the list now. There are some helpful posts each month that are worth the read. The Linky’s below.
Dianne K. Salerni says
I think my inner critic got the best of me last year (my first year of writing full time) when I convinced myself that I would never write anything as good as the books I'd already written — that after 5 published books, I was washed up.
Somewhere toward the end of 2015, I took that critic on a long drive into the wilderness and abandoned her there. It's amazing how much fun writing has become again since then!
Michelle Wallace says
Happy New Year, Queen Of Glib!
It's a rollercoaster…one minute I'm fairly confident that things are going nicely, and words are flowing; the next minute I'm thinking, what on earth are you doing? At this stage, the flowing words seem quite bland…boring…
But I'm trudging along…
Nas says
Happy New Year Lee. Its all subjective. We can't expect every reader to like every book out there.
Empty Nest Insider says
Great quote from Vonnegut! I really think that the blogging experience has helped me become more soulful. Happy New Year, Lee!
Julie
Medeia Sharif says
Moments of insecurity have decreased the older I get. I can handle rejections and negative reviews. I also live less in the past. I used to feel emotionally crippled by bad experiences, but now I move on.
Stephen Tremp says
Now that's a great quote! Vonnegut has some really good ones.
sage says
I like the Vonnegut quote!
Nicki Elson says
It's definitely important to learn how to be okay with some people not liking you and/or your work.
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Heather R. Holden says
Love that Kurt Vonnegut quote!
As for insecurities…yeah, mine definitely hold me back a lot. I've been doing my best to push through them, but being braver with my art never fails to wreak havoc on my anxiety, haha.
nashvillecats2 says
Good questions to ask ourselves Lee, loved the qoute.
Yvonne.
Samantha Redstreake Geary says
Oh, that's a solid quote! The greatest stories are the ones that bare the soul and elevate it!
“Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.”
― Rumi
Mary Aalgaard says
I scrolled down and saw that you're on jury duty. Good for you. I hope it goes well. Most people say that it is really boring. Maybe something interesting will happen in your case.
Great Vonnegut quote. Happy 2016!
Diane Burton says
The quotes are great. Very thought-provoking. Best wishes for a terrific 2016.
Tyrean Martinson says
Love your quote today, too!
It's time for us to get beyond those insecurities. 🙂
Southpaw HR Sinclair says
Insecurities use to hold me back but I think I'm starting to overcome them, AND I'm trying to turn off the inner critic–she can be downright nasty.
Suzanne Furness says
Perfect quotes to encourage us into the new year.
Pat Hatt says
Yep, can't please everyone so screw that says the cat.
Bish Denham says
I so agree. Just who is it (inside your head) that's replaying those old recordings? Who's pushing the replay button? Love that quote from Vonnegut!
Bish Denham says
I so agree. Just who is it (inside your head) that's replaying those old recordings? Who's pushing the replay button? Love that quote from Vonnegut!
Pat Garcia says
Hello and Happy New Year"
You know, I am learning to turn off my inner voice by stepping out and doing it anyway. It is always amazing to me that when I step out and start, the inner critic shut up.
Wishing you a wonderful and successful 2016.
Shalom,
Patricia
DEZMOND says
insecurities are the bane of our existence!
Mark Koopmans says
Yes, I do listen to my inner voice perhaps too much, but one of these days I promise to grow up, and then everything will be ok:)
Maybe:)
Happy New Year, Lee 🙂
DMS says
I think we all have insecurities, but we definitely need to get past them. It is important to believe in ourselves! 🙂 Great post!
~Jess
Lynda R Young says
great advice.
And I love that Vonnegut quote. Write/create to find out what's inside you. Love it.
klahanie says
Hi Lee,
First of all, humble apologies for not commenting on your post before this post. Thus, anyway n'stuff, here's to you and your loved ones having a peaceful, hopeful 2016.
Now then, back to this post, yes this post, the post after the last post that I didn't comment on.
My inner child has never left me and I'm totally fine with my writing. I suppose the only time I get a bit agitated is when I've done a tongue-in-cheek story as somebody decides to take it seriously, just to be bloody awkward, I reckon.
Of course, why would I ever worry about writing when I have a dog that takes over?
I'm outta' here and yes, still your starstruckest fans!
Gary 🙂
Chemist Ken says
I don't let the insecurities bother me for long. For some reason, I can cheerfully write away on my story even as I tell myself that no one will ever buy it. Weird, but it's how I roll.
Shannon Lawrence says
Happily, I rarely let the insecurities hold me back anymore.
Kelly Steel says
So true not everyone is not going to like what we write. Reading is so subjective.
Patricia Lynne says
We had this discussion at the day job the other week. Had a few customer complaints and I was quite whiny about those complaint. But hey, everyone else was liking the food I cooked so =PPPPPP to those complainers.
Gwen Gardner says
I have insecurities but I'm not letting them hold me back. They might slow me down a bit, but I think I can power through 😉
Joylene Nowell Butler says
I'm very grateful to be part of this group. I think the comments are fabulous. We are a wonderful bunch. LOL Happy New Year, Lee.
Loni Townsend says
I think I've taken up writing whatever I darn well please first, and then I'll address what people like later. 🙂
Liza says
That Kurt Vonnegut quote is perfect!
Cherie Reich says
It's so true not everyone one is going to like what we write. And if everyone did, it's probably freak us out and make us more insecure. 🙂 Happy New Year!
Lexa Cain says
I love that Vonnegut quote! I don't think insecurities hold me back. I'd say reality sometimes holds me back, specifically when I see other writers celebrating great sales or getting high ranks on Amazon. Then I feel like such a loser. But I continue to try to create the best stories I can and hope I find an audience for them someday. 🙂
Chrys Fey says
No matter what others say about you or what you do, you have to believe in yourself. If you do, anything is possible. Confidence is key.
Tara Tyler R says
Here's to taking risks and not worrying (too much) about the negative consequences! Take it or leave it world!
happy 2016!
Crystal Collier says
Awesome thoughts. I'm on the upswing for confidence. I was on Goodreads last night, browsing over my book ratings and noticed that 70 to 80% of readers love my debut story. That's a pretty good percentage, right? So why have I been so paralyzed by the troll reviewers for the last 6 months? Sleep deprivation. Yeah. Sometimes we see things through a fog, eh?
Hart Johnson says
It's funny to me. Writers seem to have confidence/insecurity cycles. Sometimes I am extremely confident and sometimes I feel like a blob on the heel of somebody's shoe. There are things that give me confidence because I get external validation. And then there are TASKS that just fill me with insecurity because I have so rarely been successful at them. I think I am going to TRY this year, to do something that boosts my confidence right before I face any of those big scaries… querying for instance…
Barelylucid says
I've learned to tell my inner critic to STFU whenever possible. Some wounds can never be healed, but if we never let ourselves get over them, we're letting our enemies win.
L.G. Keltner says
The quote is a great! Thanks for sharing it!
Sherry Ellis says
I really like the quote, too! The more you do something, the better you get. That's how you grow.
Christine Rains says
Wonderful quote! My insecurities used to hold me back, but now I'm old and stubborn. I push on forward! Have a great 2016. 🙂
Jacqui Murray says
I will say, it's not insecurities that hold me back. It's time. I'm not too worried about public opinion so that doesn't frustrate or discourage me. I try to stay focused, but there's a real joy in meandering through sites where connections lead. Sigh.
Hilary Melton-Butcher says
Hi Lee – that Vonnegut quote is such a good one … we need to experience life, before we can really go forward. Such a great post for this time of year and the IWSG … cheers Hilary
EEGiorgi says
oooh, love that quote, thanks for sharing and happy new year 🙂
emaginette says
All good points. I think we are just human and all humans have ups and downs. It's the beast.
Anna from elements of emaginette
Susan Gourley/Kelley says
I try to use that inner critic to motivate myself but sometimes it speaks so loudly…
Yolanda Renee says
I keep murdering that inner critic – for some reason it refuses to die. A difficult task but I'm determined to defeat it! I refuse to be held back no matter how difficult the journey!
Wonderful quote and much easier to believe!
Happy New Year!
Beverly Stowe McClure says
Wonderful quote. Yes, it's good to remember that we can't please everyone so we accept it and live our lives the best we can.
Natalie Aguirre says
These are great questions to ask ourselves. And it's so true not everyone will like what we create or do. That's part of life and okay.
L. Diane Wolfe says
Not everyone will like us and that's okay.
Julie Flanders says
Writing has definitely made my soul grow. And while I would love to have more money from it and hope to someday, that is already worth more than any monetary gain could ever be.
Happy New Year! 🙂
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
To experience becoming… I like that idea!