Once more unto the breach...

In December, Neal and I made a deal to blog each day; the goal was to be more creative...I failed! LOL!

If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. ~ C.G. Chesterson

Well, if that is the case, then perhaps I succeeded brilliantly! I heard this quote today in the class lecture for the BPS My Word workshop. This workshop is what is inspiring me to jump back into blogging. As many blank journals and partially used composition notebooks I have at hand, I'm fairly confident that I will write more and more often if I type my entries. So, here we go...even though I'm starting the class a day late! ;-) So, my assignment is to respond to one of the quotes that Amy S e-mailed to us.

The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. ~Sylvia Plath

Self-doubt is the worst enemy period. I've dealt with this a lot in my life, and I still struggle with it a bit today. Although I don't spend as much time comparing myself to others as I used to, those thoughts of inadequacy tend to surface from time to time. Instead of using it as a motivator to get better, I shut down and either eat or sleep...or both! I need to learn to channel those negative thoughts into something constructive. Yet, it is so much easier said than done.

For instance, JC's daughter, D, just auditioned for the musical. She has a great voice, is a talented dancer, and a creative young lady; yet, she let her self-doubt get the best of her at auditions (in her opinion). Instead of attacking it with confidence and energy, her nerves took over. I know she was cast in the show, but I don't know if she got a major role or not. I'll find out on Monday. The point is, here is someone who should have all the confidence in the world, but she doesn't. We can all build her up by pointing out her strengths, but, in the end, she is fighting against herself.

This is the battle I've been engaged in all my life. I do well for awhile, but then I sabotage myself and end up miserable. I have opportunity every day to express my creativity, but I let life get in my way. It's not self-doubt all the time, usually it is laziness. So, this is where I need to work it out. I'll begin with the mundane, and eventually I will delve into the realm of creativity. The added bonus is that I think this course will also make me a better teacher!