Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

People are housed in different prisons.  Sometimes it is their circumstances or attitudes that can imprison them.  Let’s just talk about the first.

I have a friend who can not easily leave the house.  His wife needs around the clock care and she gets very anxious when he is not not there.

How many people think nothing of stepping out of their house and getting a burger, maybe, at the nearby McDonald’s and shopping at their local supermarket?

It is a simple freedom yet there are those that are home bound that can not partake of them so easily for different reasons.

His wife would do any thing in the whole world if she could do something as simple as give someone a hug.  And people, sometimes, complain about washing dishes.  She can’t do either:  she is paralyzed.

Sometimes you really do not know what you’ve got until you lose it.  And if you can get that simple freedom back you suddenly appreciate it more.  And sometimes you can’t go back.  It is lost forever and all you can do is mourn its loss.

Tags: anxiety, appreciate, around the clock care, don't know what you've got until you lose it, freedom, give a hug, home-bound, lost forever, McDonald's, mourn its loss, our attitudes, our circumstances as prisons, paralyzed, simple freedoms, supermarket, wash dishes, we live in different prisons, you can't go back
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Perfectionism is the work of the devil.  Let us take one area, writing.  At each step, I must learn to relax and accept my work.  I have done my best and must rest.

The converse, is to tear out your hair and moan to yourself and tell yourself I could have done better (to whoever you want to compare yourself to).

This attitude is counterproductive.  Always comparing yourself to someone else’s work splits your concentration.  Being always concerned your work does not match up (to whoever) weakens your work.

To write the best you can is to accept your results at every stage of your piece.  There should be only one person you should compare yourself to:  and that is you.

You are unique.  Comparing yourself to anyone else really does not work.  No one can be you.  Trying at every stage to improve your work is fine.  But at every stage, learn to relax and accept the results.

And unfortunately when you write and are concerned whether your work matches up to anyone else, you eventually become paralyzed and stop writing because you have become too anxious.

Wanting to get better and better is normal.  And submitting your work to a trusted editor is good but learn to relax and accept your results at every stage of the piece.  This attitude preserves your sanity and enables you to keep on writing.

There is only one you and no one likes phonies so keep exploring in your writing the unique place you have in this world.  And avoid the trap of perfectionism.  Then you will continue to write the best you can.  And that should be your only goal–to become the best writer you are capable of–and you will.

Tags: accept your results, anxious, concentration, devil, do your best, don't compare yourself, editor, God, improve your work, only one you, paralyzed, perfectionism, phonies, relax and accept my work, rest, stop writing, submit your work, writer, writing, you are unique
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