As a recovering perfectionist myself, me and my fairy tale of 26+ years in the making really needed this advice so I can move on and publish! Love this advice!!
Yay! That is so wonderful to hear, Shelly, and thanks for sharing with me 🙌 Here's to publishing 26+ year fairy tales that deserve to be in the world!!!
I love your use of the packing/moving analogy to illustrate the importance of surrender and presence in writing.
Funnily enough, I just learned the same lesson while trying to finish a grant application. I was struggling to polish my writing samples to "perfection" until it finally hit me that I was starting to lose the essence at the heart of my writing project. I concluded I just need to do the best I can, stay present as I write, enjoy working on the samples as I enjoy working on the project and surrender to the outcome.
Thanks so much for having a read, Fanen! When I realized the packing/moving analogy, something definitely clicked into place for me. Very glad to hear you connected with it too.
I really like your emphasis on doing the best we can and then surrendering to the outcome. I can certainly see how important that is for something like a grant application, which in large part is about communicating something you care so deeply about into dry forms and facts. It’s amazing that you recognized the risk of losing the essence at the heart of your project and took steps to hold onto it 🙌
Cheers, Claudia—it’s funny how even the things we’ve done before (like move homes) still become learning experiences. Especially when we’re trying to grow out of very entrenched habits and expectations we’ve built and internalized over a lifetime.
This was a really lovely read, particular the lines about surrendering and letting go. It helped me organise my brain and apartment! Hope everything goes well for you in the new place 😊
Thanks so much, Wendy, really glad it could help you 🙌 The day of the move went well…now I’m finishing up my unpacking and trying to adjust to the new place. It always takes me a little while to stop comparing the old and new.
I love this so much!!! You basically described me a month ago when I was moving out of my old apartment. I had exactly the same mindset: I should be able to do this alone! And I planned everything in detail, and was really prepared, and still, it was SO overwhelming.
But you are right, NONE of this is that big of a deal. Thank you for the reminder.
Thanks for reading, Nina, and it's so lovely to hear I'm not alone in going through this type of chaos lol 😆 I've also been telling myself that this too shall pass, and soon I'll find a new--and hopefully better--normal. I hope that's what you've found!
As a recovering perfectionist myself, me and my fairy tale of 26+ years in the making really needed this advice so I can move on and publish! Love this advice!!
Yay! That is so wonderful to hear, Shelly, and thanks for sharing with me 🙌 Here's to publishing 26+ year fairy tales that deserve to be in the world!!!
This is brilliant and I related so much to learning to let go in writing and life. Also I'm planning a house move....😂
So happy you related to it!! And congrats on the house move...and also, I'm crossing my fingers for you that it's done with soon!! 😂
I love your use of the packing/moving analogy to illustrate the importance of surrender and presence in writing.
Funnily enough, I just learned the same lesson while trying to finish a grant application. I was struggling to polish my writing samples to "perfection" until it finally hit me that I was starting to lose the essence at the heart of my writing project. I concluded I just need to do the best I can, stay present as I write, enjoy working on the samples as I enjoy working on the project and surrender to the outcome.
Thanks so much for having a read, Fanen! When I realized the packing/moving analogy, something definitely clicked into place for me. Very glad to hear you connected with it too.
I really like your emphasis on doing the best we can and then surrendering to the outcome. I can certainly see how important that is for something like a grant application, which in large part is about communicating something you care so deeply about into dry forms and facts. It’s amazing that you recognized the risk of losing the essence at the heart of your project and took steps to hold onto it 🙌
The parallel between moving and writing was spot on! I thoroughly enjoyed it Sheridan. You're a fantastic writer!
Thanks so much, Kathleen, I appreciate you!
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Wow, I felt this while reading "It’s about surrendering the control I thought I needed over every detail.", very well said & I could not agree more!
Cheers, Claudia—it’s funny how even the things we’ve done before (like move homes) still become learning experiences. Especially when we’re trying to grow out of very entrenched habits and expectations we’ve built and internalized over a lifetime.
This was a really lovely read, particular the lines about surrendering and letting go. It helped me organise my brain and apartment! Hope everything goes well for you in the new place 😊
Thanks so much, Wendy, really glad it could help you 🙌 The day of the move went well…now I’m finishing up my unpacking and trying to adjust to the new place. It always takes me a little while to stop comparing the old and new.
I know that feeling! “Don’t like this place, want the old one, where’s my favourite coffee mug”
Yes, exactly. I know it just takes time. It’s all about intentionally reminding myself of that!
I love this so much!!! You basically described me a month ago when I was moving out of my old apartment. I had exactly the same mindset: I should be able to do this alone! And I planned everything in detail, and was really prepared, and still, it was SO overwhelming.
But you are right, NONE of this is that big of a deal. Thank you for the reminder.
Thanks for reading, Nina, and it's so lovely to hear I'm not alone in going through this type of chaos lol 😆 I've also been telling myself that this too shall pass, and soon I'll find a new--and hopefully better--normal. I hope that's what you've found!