Insecure Writers Support Group- Give Yourself Some Credit!

Wednesday is Insecure Writers Support Group day!  It's time for us writery types to gather round, share our insecurities, and take comfort in the fact that no, you are not the only one who feels like (insert random degrading thought here).

I'm in the mood for a little empowerment at the moment.  So I won't whine about my insecurities this time (as much....).  In my experience, we writery types tend to put way too much pressure on ourselves.  Sure I just finished editing that book and e-pubbed it, but I'm so focused on the fifteen million things I've just gotta do next, that I didn't pause to give myself credit.  Deadlines!  There are deadlines people!! (in my head)
If you are feeling down about writing (editing, finishing that novel, getting bad reviews, getting your 50,000th rejection letter...) remember all the amazing things you've accomplished thus far:

1) You got out of bed today (I'm assuming).   Not only do you write, but you also drag yourself moaning from your mattress every day and take your sleep deprived butt to work (or to take care of the kids, or something productive).  Hell, maybe you even put on clothes.  (Though if you're still in your pajamas, more power to you!)

2) Many of you packed lunches, took the kids to school (okay, maybe not since it's summer...) or to their various activities for the day.  Barring that, you probably entertained said kids all day at the cost of life and limb.  Pretty awesome.

3)You worked (probably).  And what's more, you came home from work and at some point continued to pound on the keyboard for a while, tearing whatever shred of sanity was left right out of you.

4) You probably have a hobby.  And no, husband, writing is NOT a hobby.  I take dance classes (and practice once in a while), and I make jewelry.  So one day for me could consist of going to a very emotionally stressful job where I deal with traumatized people all day, making dinner and playing with the kid, entertaining the husband with my awesome (or terrible) sense of humor, practicing for dance class, filling a jewelry order, and then bleeding onto writing in a notebook (sometimes it's violent).

5) Despite all of this you manage not to die.  Seriously.  So this means you probably have some sort of awesome self-care rituals.  Personally I take a bunch of vitamins and herbs, meditate, and get acupuncture (when I can manage to afford it).   I also force myself to exercise.

6) Shit, I forgot all about mountain biking.   Maybe you do that too.

7) Maybe you also go to doctors appointments with chronically ill family members.

8) Despite all of that, you want to connect with other human beings.  You want to create amazing worlds of adventure, and mystery, and romance- and have those worlds come to life in someone else's mind.

9) What have you done this week?

See how amazing you are?!

Take that, insecurity!