I am pleased to announce that I am in the gestational process of birthing my book, A Leg to Stand On, An Amputee’s walk into Motherhood. Due date: November 11, 2014!
Experience is a wise teacher. Being published in four anthologies and speaking at my local TEDx event, I’ve learned that the process of pursuing a goal is just as important as the end result. So over the next few months, I’ll blog about what I’m learning from the process of publishing my book.
Gremlins
My first step was to have a serious talk to my gremlins, those pesky voices in my head that keep telling me, in one voice or another, that I’m worthless and should just shut up.
Here is what I told them, tell them nearly everyday as I push against new boundaries:
"I hereby declare that you don’t have power over me anymore. You thought you were so clever, but guess what? I am cleverer than you; I figured out how to transform you. You thought you could trick me into thinking that you were me. I’ve realized that when I hang out with Truth instead of you, you have no power.
Here is what I know to be true. . . .
You want me to believe that the swarm of fears that follow me where ever I go would lead me right into the hole of depression and helplessness.
What is true is that I can skip right over that hole and completely dismiss my fears.
You want me to believe that the fog of my fears is so great that I can’t see the giants that threaten to destroy me.
What is true that I see all the threats that stand in my way for what they truly are: distractions.
You want me to be overwhelmed by all the choices in front of me. You hope I will become obscured by the chaos of options.
What is true is that I see the path before me. I know what choices to make.
You want me to believe that my flock will reject me, that I will be discarded, thrown away.
What is true is that I am supported beyond measure. People want to help me.
You want me to get stuck in the waters of my emotions, to believe that I AM sadness, I AM anger, I AM overwhelm.
What is true is that I glide over the ocean of my emotions, allowing them to ripple over me, unaffected.
You want me to believe that I am invisible, a wall flower. I am not seen.
What is true is that I shed my wall flower status and throw myself onto the world.
You want me to believe that the world is constantly judging me for being every shade of wrong.
What is true is that I fend off judgments, others’ and my own, by accepting myself and having compassion for myself.
You want me to believe that every door I open leads straight into a brick wall.
What is true is that the door to the universe of my heart is always open. I just need to run through it.
You want me to believe that I don’t have enough time or space to live my passions, that I am constantly overwhelmed.
What is true is that I am in tune with Universal timing. I trust that everything happens as it needs to.
You want me to believe that I have nothing to say, that I need to keep quiet, that I have no voice.
What is true is that my story’s song comes to me naturally, instinctively. I share my story with the world.
You want me to believe that the important, key secret to life is out of my reach.
What is true is that the key to my life is nestled in my heart. I carry it always.
You want me to believe that I am stuck. Forever caught between my desires and a perpetual unrealized reality.
What is true is that I have been living into the wonder of my potential since the day I was born.
And I will continue to do so.
An Invitation
What are your gremlins telling you? How do they deplete and dismiss you? Instead of giving them all the air time, what do you have to say back to them? If your gremlins were sitting in front of you, what would you tell them?