Attitude Adjustment
(Don't allow anyone to treat you as a chore, either!)
Greetings humans (and those fiends who live amongst us who lurk in the long, cold shadows, who never sleep, and stand only a breath away every time we close our ignorant eyes.) Somebody here needs an Attitude Adjustment! So I'll give you mine.
A couple of days ago, I had food poisoning that laid me flat, and then, to bury me in depression, I found out a novel I'd submitted to a contest finished in the top 3% of entries. Semi-finalist, good show, the judges liked it, but alas, no cash prize, no recognition, no love. It's okay. I've won fifteen writing prizes. I'll get more. But, okay, I wasn't feeling great about it. I wasn't feeling great about myself. But! It's a new day, and a fresh haircut. Let me tell you a couple of quick stories.
First, from the web
Daughter: I want to be an astronaut when I grow up.
Parent: That will take a lot of work. It would be really hard!
Daughter: What would I have to do?
Parent: Well, you'd have to study hard at school, get really good at science, and get very physically fit.
Daughter (rolling her eyes): So? That's all? That's just three things.
Also relevant
During my training, there was a biology course designed to prepare us for board examinations before licensing. The plan was to review all the science we needed to know inside out. We'd go deep on physiology, pathology, neurophysiology, etc.,.... Whether or not it would be practical, we had to know it all, or at least enough to get 75% or above.
One of my classmates panicked and broke down at the enormity of the task ahead. I was curiously, uncharacteristically optimistic.
She cried, "So much to learn!"
I said to myself, "So much to learn!"
So I did.
Today's quest: Look for opportunities, not chores.
I've carried woodstoves in and out of basements. I once had to work every day with a violent guy I was prepared to hurt badly. All I'm trying to do now is write for a living. There are many worse fates!
Writing a bestselling book? That's just one thing, right?