When I originally wrote this article for my “Writer Authentic” e-newsletter subscribers (July 2023), I was nearly two weeks into my bout with COVID-19. To say this halted everything I do in my life is an understatement. And for any of you who have, unfortunately, been through this, you understand. (At one point I realized it is true: there really are pink elephants who go on parade. I saw them).
It is frustrating when any illness takes over your life, forcing you to adjust. What is more frustrating to me is that as far along as we are into this virus that has taken over the world, I thought I was on top of escaping it. Throughout the pandemic to where we are today, not once did I catch anything. I haven’t been sick in years, frankly. We stayed vigilant and continued to take precautions. We sanitized, stayed out of crowds, kept our distance from people, wore a mask when necessary, and yet, it still happened. First, my hubby, then a couple days later, me.
I don’t usually talk about my health publicly, but I mention it because it was a cruel reminder to me that no matter how prepared we are, or what we master on our end, some things are beyond our control. We can do everything right, but feel like a failure when life works against us.
And it’s similar to our work.
We can continue to train ourselves in a certain skill, and make use of that training every day. We can be the expert in a particular field, but that doesn’t mean we are going to find a job right away, snag clients, or sell our novel.
That frustration can consume us if we’re not careful. Putting in effort, time, and money with no results is discouraging. You question if all you are doing is even worth it.
How to take control
There is no secret formula for taking control, except the old cliché: when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. And if the lemonade turns sour, try again until you get it right. Add sweetener. Try something different. Don’t overlook your end goal: to make a pitcher of lemonade, but different from what others have done in the past. Trial and error are positive things.
With our writing, we keep writing, keep training. We keep submitting, even if we see rejection upon rejection. The other day I received another rejection for my poetry. And in my sadness, my hubby simply said: “Don’t give up. Someone will like your work.” We have to be patient in finding the right person to appreciate our work and our worth.
Whether we’re trying to find a job, a client, or be published, we keep going. We keep up with our training, with our writing, with keeping ourselves healthy and strengthening our immune systems because that is where we have control. Our biggest enemy is ourselves. Don’t give up on yourself. Believe in what you do and eventually others will catch up.
Do what you reasonably can. Reach out to prospects. Send in your résumé to multiple companies. Submit your work. It’s tough to receive rejection after rejection. You cannot control the outcome. But you can control your actions. And your actions will eventually result in positive outcomes.
Don’t give up on yourself. Continue to do what you can and what you enjoy. Remember: you have control over your actions, not others’. Be patient with yourself. Eventually, you’ll find the right person or people who will appreciate your value.
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