Do Other Writers Have These Thoughts?

When my insecurities woke me up one night, I wrote them down.

Image by Susan Foster.

A Writer's Doubts.

Are the hours I sit in my chair in front of my computer time well spent?
Should I be doing something else instead?

Hours go by, and all I do is write.
Is this a worthwhile effort? 
Should I be doing something else?

Do other writers feel the way I do?
Do they have feelings of uncertainty and doubt,
as they write the minutes of their lives away?

Are the words that spray out from my pen ever any good?
Are the thoughts I share just commonplace or are they brilliant news?
Do people read my work because it draws them in?
Or do they read only out of loyalty to me or, worse yet, obligation?

Have other writers found my work because it’s too good not to read, 
or simply because I left a comment on one of their own stories
and they want to return the favor?

What would I be doing if I wasn’t writing?
Should I be spending such vast quantities of time on this?

Perhaps these questions are of a futile type.
I’m not sure there’s anything I can do but write.

I’m not sure there’s any way I cannot write.

Do other writers have thoughts like this?
Or are these concerns and doubts uniquely mine?

Do you ever get up and record your own thoughts at night? If you do, are you then able to go back to sleep?

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Tell Every Woman She IS Enough!

There's been a lot of posts written recently by bloggers who attended the BlogHer '14 blogging conference.  Although I didn't go, I have enjoyed reading the accounts of the event.

What does your mirror tell you?

I recently read a blog post, The Talking Mirror and Self Esteem by Carol Cassara.  In it, she describes watching women at the first exhibit they encountered at the conference.  The exhibit was a “talking mirror.”  In her article, Carol also provided the video link I have included here, and encouraged her readers to watch it.  She even offered a free giveaway to anyone who leaves a comment on her post.

Before I watched the video, my comment on Carol's post would have been, “A mirror that tells me, ‘You are Enough.’ I want one of those!”

I hope you will read Carol's wonderful words about self esteem (click on the link in the paragraph above) AND watch this video, before you read the rest of what I write here.  Don't forget to leave a comment on Carol's blog!




As I viewed the video, I realized I was crying.  I'd be surprised if you didn't shed at least a tear. Most of us can relate to the raw emotions revealed by the women filmed as they interacted with the mirror.  Kudos to whomever organized and facilitated these interactions.  Bravo to the all-female band “The Mrs.” for their empowering song, “I'm Enough.” 

The comment I finally left on Carol's blog post was “... it is true - we are all enough."  

I've changed my mind about wanting to own a talking mirror.  I've realized a real talking mirror isn't a piece of reflective glass that hangs on a wall.  Every one of us is a talking mirror, reflecting opinions to ourselves and to others. There are vocal mirrors around us every day. It is the ones that tell us we are enough that we should listen to. This is the kind of mirror that each of us should strive to be.

We all have the power to change inner voices of self-doubt ... our own and those of others. We need to remember to tell the women in our lives the reasons that we think they are enough. And, whenever we look at ourselves in the mirror, we should decide to say, “I'm Enough.”

So, like the instructions in the video,  --  "SLIDE IT GIRL" ... We are all ENOUGH!

“Tell someone she's enough!   #i'mEnough”


This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog.  Check them out!