I really love this! Thank you for sharing. As someone who struggles to create because of so much self-doubt, this is a great reminder to put my judgement aside and just do the things i love no matter how the final result looks.
This is such loving, measured honest advice. Thank you. You've also made me want to spend time in Cambria, which I've never really done though my fave part of the Cali coast is btw Salinas and Santa Barbara. (I live in SF) Congratulations on your show. I love your art.
This and the following paragraph about whether you would pursue it if you didn't get the "perceived benefits" - "Dear reader, if you're waiting to face a practice until you really believe in yourself, I want you to consider if what you are seeking is something you actually want. You might be chasing a career, a passion, or a hobby that you have romanticized, something you think you want to or should do."
I am a writer, and I am just starting out, but what if I want to pursue other things too?
Yeah I think I have a tendency to go for the black or white answer. When I read your part about if it's not resonating [in your body] I was like hm I feel it in my body when I'm writing but don't necessarily in the other pursuits I have (computer programming/animation) which are more oriented toward making money (at least in my current thinking). But that doesn't necessarily mean the latter category is bad or something I should stop doing (maybe I just haven't gotten to the embodied/flow state with them - - yet). Always looking for a reason to abandon pursuits that (I think I love) ❤️.
This is amazing. Truly. I wanted to leave this comment to let you know how this post had effected me. I think you’re a genius. I loved the bit about questioning if we actually want something or not. It brought me clarity about a significant situation that I’d been trying to solve like a puzzle, and that had simultaneously been weighing me down. Thank you.
Hi Anna. I always (ALWAYS) quietly appreciate your words whenever I read them, but I have to say (out loud) I will be coming back to this one a lot. I feel like so many of us are somewhat familiar with the line of questioning you take us through, but - personally - when I’m facing this narrative alone in my mind, it has a much meaner, much less forgiving tone. All to say : Thank you for gently guiding us through curiosity in ourselves, our pushback, and our fear to create.
Congratulations on your show, Anna! I'm so bummed that I'll be in Cambria 4 weeks too late. There's nothing I loathe more than self-promotion. I'm a great cheerleader for others, but feel like such a needy twerp when I say, "Hey, I did this thing. It's not too shabby. You might like it. Please tell friends?" And, pretty much, my delivery is that bad. Working on it. xo
My show will be open through July, so if you're in Cambria four weeks from the opening, you should be able to make it! Call or email Charlie when you're passing through and he will open the doors for you :)
This was truly inspiring. I'm someone who is really bad at self-promotion, to the point where I barely do any, and that's something that I need to change. I've been doing some introspection lately as to why that is and trying to be more proactive about changing that.
I also just started querying agents, something that I should have done a while ago, but I'm finally doing. My stuff is not perfect, but it's good, certainly good enough I think to at least grab an agent's attention. Of course, I know that rejection is also part of this process, so I'm going into it hopeful, but realistic.
Thank you for reading. When I consider how inevitable rejection really is, I wonder why it has to be scary at all then? I've been thinking a lot about how I can make its pang feel less abrasive, especially because I recognize it always teaches me something.
It is amazing when you ask the questions and the answers come to you in the places you didnthink they would be. But you do. Thank you so much for your words :)
I really love this! Thank you for sharing. As someone who struggles to create because of so much self-doubt, this is a great reminder to put my judgement aside and just do the things i love no matter how the final result looks.
It's a big ask, but it's the only ask!
This is such loving, measured honest advice. Thank you. You've also made me want to spend time in Cambria, which I've never really done though my fave part of the Cali coast is btw Salinas and Santa Barbara. (I live in SF) Congratulations on your show. I love your art.
Thank you. That means so much.
This and the following paragraph about whether you would pursue it if you didn't get the "perceived benefits" - "Dear reader, if you're waiting to face a practice until you really believe in yourself, I want you to consider if what you are seeking is something you actually want. You might be chasing a career, a passion, or a hobby that you have romanticized, something you think you want to or should do."
I am a writer, and I am just starting out, but what if I want to pursue other things too?
I don't think there's any reason we have to choose just one. I certainly haven't :)
Yeah I think I have a tendency to go for the black or white answer. When I read your part about if it's not resonating [in your body] I was like hm I feel it in my body when I'm writing but don't necessarily in the other pursuits I have (computer programming/animation) which are more oriented toward making money (at least in my current thinking). But that doesn't necessarily mean the latter category is bad or something I should stop doing (maybe I just haven't gotten to the embodied/flow state with them - - yet). Always looking for a reason to abandon pursuits that (I think I love) ❤️.
This is amazing. Truly. I wanted to leave this comment to let you know how this post had effected me. I think you’re a genius. I loved the bit about questioning if we actually want something or not. It brought me clarity about a significant situation that I’d been trying to solve like a puzzle, and that had simultaneously been weighing me down. Thank you.
Thank you for writing to me and letting me know my words resonated with you. It's all I could ask for.
I love this and will be returning to it. Oh the obstacles I create for myself. Thank you for sharing ❤️
There in spirit for your show can’t wait to see what you’ve created
Hi Anna. I always (ALWAYS) quietly appreciate your words whenever I read them, but I have to say (out loud) I will be coming back to this one a lot. I feel like so many of us are somewhat familiar with the line of questioning you take us through, but - personally - when I’m facing this narrative alone in my mind, it has a much meaner, much less forgiving tone. All to say : Thank you for gently guiding us through curiosity in ourselves, our pushback, and our fear to create.
Thank you for this!
Congratulations on your show, Anna! I'm so bummed that I'll be in Cambria 4 weeks too late. There's nothing I loathe more than self-promotion. I'm a great cheerleader for others, but feel like such a needy twerp when I say, "Hey, I did this thing. It's not too shabby. You might like it. Please tell friends?" And, pretty much, my delivery is that bad. Working on it. xo
My show will be open through July, so if you're in Cambria four weeks from the opening, you should be able to make it! Call or email Charlie when you're passing through and he will open the doors for you :)
Hurrah! I certainly will. Thanks, Anna. xo
This was truly inspiring. I'm someone who is really bad at self-promotion, to the point where I barely do any, and that's something that I need to change. I've been doing some introspection lately as to why that is and trying to be more proactive about changing that.
I also just started querying agents, something that I should have done a while ago, but I'm finally doing. My stuff is not perfect, but it's good, certainly good enough I think to at least grab an agent's attention. Of course, I know that rejection is also part of this process, so I'm going into it hopeful, but realistic.
Thank you for reading. When I consider how inevitable rejection really is, I wonder why it has to be scary at all then? I've been thinking a lot about how I can make its pang feel less abrasive, especially because I recognize it always teaches me something.
It is amazing when you ask the questions and the answers come to you in the places you didnthink they would be. But you do. Thank you so much for your words :)
Not me and my novel scraps staring at each other across the room.
I didn't say it was EASY <3
Thanks for the question Hannah :)