Failure Is an Option--End

Failure Can Strengthen

  

Learning to own my failure and to release the painful shame that crippled me from reaching out for anything more than a mundane job, enabled me to embrace an important lesson: requiring help isn’t a weakness and asking for it takes courage.

 

As a side benefit, I reaped wisdom. In reaching out, I seemed more approachable, more human, and others became comfortable reaching out to me. I’ve been blessed to experience how very powerful staying open and available for one another can be.

I carry this lesson close as I work on the lifelong dream of becoming a writer. Breathe deeply, prepare the best you can, and continue with fortitude has become my mantra. I’ve added the goal of developing a thick skin to ward off the insecurities bound to pop up on the journey and of keeping in mind that it is not necessarily “better to give than to receive.” Asking for assistance and accepting it with thankful grace when truly in need is also a gift to the one offering the help. It’s a virtue to let these angels know how greatly they are valued in our lives.

Writing Status

I mentioned a short story I’m looking to send to a magazine in a previous post. I contacted one via mail as directed and received general submission guidelines that had nothing to do with fiction submissions. A check I’d enclosed for a back copy of the magazine was also returned with no explanation. I don’t think my request was ambiguous. Oh, well, on to the next one.

Confused

Everyone I’ve read who gives advice on building a platform suggests making comments on other people’s blogs that might complement yours and leaving your blog address. Google says doing this just to drive traffic to your blog is spam. Huh? Who gets to judge what you’re really interested in and what you’re using for your own purposes? Not that I’ve had much luck finding blogs to read. I went to Technorati.com for listings and found general categories that don’t really fit mine. I’ll ask my teenager. His help has been invaluable.