So, I just got a message from the Universe to practice what I preach.
You know how I know?
Because I spent hours writing a blog post. And then rewriting it. And then finding the right song to accompany it. And while looking for a photo to add…
POOF!
GONE!
NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
Well, that’s not entirely true. Wherever the draft was seven hours prior to this moment had been saved. But believe me when I say that the seven-hours-ago draft is completely different than what I had when I finished it.
My stomach, jaw, and heart dropped simultaneously.
You ever have that happen?
All that hard work… just disappear?
(I know you have.)
But I’d be pretty remiss if I didn’t take this BIG PILE OF lemons and make some lemonade, right?
So, let’s go back to the questions I told you all to ask yourselves in times like these…
- Is there any value to my pout-pout face?
:::looks down at the ground and kicks invisible dirt:::
No.
- Can I extract any positives from this situation?
:::takes a deep breath:::
Yes.
- What are the positives?
Well, for one, this is an irritating and frustrating reminder to CONSTANTLY SAVE my work! :::hits Save Draft:::
And it’s a good lesson in protecting my time and energy by not hemming and hawing for so long over finding “the right words.” (I recall spending a lot of time googling synonyms and definitions, when, in reality, perfection doesn’t exist.)
Since I did struggle a bit with the post, this situation gives me the opportunity to do it over again differently. :::hits Save Draft:::
And it’s humbling…
When something like this happens to a writer, it has the direct result of forcing the ego out of the writing completely—which is how it should be anyway.
Finally, my last positive is that I got a blog post out of it anyway. Plus I was given the opportunity to practice shifting my mindset almost as soon as the disappointment hit.
So, uh… thanks, Universe. Always a pleasure!
<3 Laura :::hits Save Draft:::
