Write a new story

It was a Friday. I login for a 1:1 session with my coach. After a brief check-in, she sets me up from our last call and reminds me that I am a writer.

For most of my life, I’ve shied away from sharing my thoughts on paper with anyone. Fear of rejection and doubt sets in. I go back to my old story. I’m a high school dropout who failed English. I can’t write. 

If you’re familiar with author Steven Pressfield’s work on the resistance, you may have heard him say, “Put your ass where your heart wants to be”, so here I sit. My heart pounds, and my body feels hot. I know I am on to something, but where do I start? My self-doubt indicates what I truly desire, and the feeling of fear assures me it’s worth pursuing. My inner voice says ‘Keep going”. 

I tell myself just write one sentence, then another, and then another. When I finished the first paragraph, I paused to take in the win, acknowledging myself for the micro steps. This helps me stay present and optimistic, two qualities I believe to be highly beneficial anytime I dance at the edge of my comfort zone.  

As my fingers hit the keys, I know I’m in action. Forward momentum is happening, and I am creating something new for myself. 

I have learned to accept that to be human means to experience resistance; it’s not going anywhere. A natural opposition, resistance can be our worst enemy or our greatest teacher. I know when something scares me, it’s often a catalyst for something much bigger. When I get nauseous at the thought of taking action, I know I’m on the right path. 

We will all experience resistance in our lifetime, and when we do say “amazing” “ it means something new is possible. My hope is that you read this and know that you are not alone in your resistance to the unknown; it’s something we all come up against, and when we do, we get to decide what we do next. 

I chose to give up my old story to write a new one, it goes likes this…I am a writer.