My friend recently mentioned how she can't compose/improv music (she's a phenomenal singer) because she doesn't want to make a mistake. I'm the same way about choreographing dances, but I didn't realize it until she said it. She continued and said that her friend passed along good advice that sometimes, you just have to make a lot of mistakes to figure it out, and that's ok. I'm still not perfect at that yet, I do like to get things right the first time, but alas, that often leads me to make more mistakes than I would have done if I just went forward in faith the first time.
For the past few weeks, whenever I've encountered something out of my control or can in any way cause me stress, I've tried to say to myself, "Let it be ok,", and I remember to trust God again.
For example, I can let it be ok to make mistakes, in branching out and trying new things, in playing games where I probably won't win, etc.
I have also come to know that I can let it be ok that I don't have all the answers I'm looking for - before this, it has hindered my progress because I wouldn't move forward till I knew "everything."
If I focus on what I can do, and trust God to take care of the rest, I can be at peace. I'm still working on making this a habit, but every time I remember, and let "it" be ok, I have felt my hurt/confusion/doubt/weakness lighten and peace enter my heart again.
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ReplyDeleteBeautiful :) This is perfect! I have been working on this same thing lately, overcoming the perfectionist in me and allowing myself to live life. You must be on the path of light and truth, because your words are absolutely inspired.
ReplyDeleteA while back I read a writing lesson Orson Scott Card wrote in which he showed some of his discarded openings to one of his stories and talked about why they didn't work. The article's here: http://www.hatrack.com/writingclass/lessons/1998-10-29.shtml but I want to mention two specific things he said in it.
ReplyDelete1) I had to essay four openings before I got one that worked. Notice I didn't say "the right one." That's because there isn't just one "right" opening, anymore than there's ever just one right sentence or one right word.
2) It should also be encouraging, for those of you who have not yet published anything, that after the dozens of stories I've written, each new project is a fresh start, with a whole new set of mistakes to make, and a whole new set of problems to solve. We're all novices with every story, because each new story is one you've never told before.