I stumbled upon a podcast with Andrea Hanson, a life coach with MS who helps people live with their diagnosis. Then I took a look at Andrea's blog where she said something amazing.
“I pride myself on my street smarts and figureitoutitude.”
Oh, how I love that word!
Figureitoutitude. I love it so much I wish I'd thought of it.
It's what I need more of. Resilience. Tenacity. Figureitoutitude. Especially now, when I'm trying to earn my dream.
Because here are the facts for writers: if you're lucky enough to find an agent or a publisher, most first novels in Australia last for 3 months on the shelf and sell under 1,000 copies. Then they are remaindered. It's a tough thing to spend a few years doing.
So Figureitoutitude is what I need. I need to figure out how to keep going.
For whatever crazy reason, in my heart I believe that solitary hours and hard work and very little financial reward and potential rejection and the slim chance of 'success' is worth the act of sitting alone -- in complete and utter happiness -- creating MY art. For me.
I don't follow celebrity news, but once I read that Justine Bieber asked Selena Gomez to take off her high heels because he was embarrassed about his height. She told him, 'You're SHORT. Embrace it.'
Poor old Justin. It's a big ask, isn't it, to embrace reality? It's hard for everyone.
I'm a writer, like a bazillion other people. Like quite a few of you. That means I have to embrace doubt. And carry on, anyway.
Figureitoutitude. Such a great word.
Maybe with whatever you're facing (or embracing) in your life, you need more of it too.
