Greetings, readers. Welcome back to another episode of Wednesday Words. Today I want to share something that helps me turn my worries inside out. When a situation arises that makes me feel helpless, or unable to do something to control or change it, or too overwhelmed to think about it, this phrase brings me hope:
I feel helpless → → BUT→ → I can find a way to handle this.
My personal “helpless to handle this”
One example from my own life: Years ago, the process of writing a memoir overwhelmed me more often than not. Early on, I said to a friend, “Have I bitten off more than I can chew?” Anyone who has written a book knows how daunting the task is. At times that overwhelmed, helpless feeling, the pit in my stomach, immobilized me, as if I were facing the Himalayan mountains wondering how to climb up there.
How did I handle this? One way stands out: When I reminded myself that I was not perfect and the book wouldn’t be perfect, either. I had to accept that fact—no human being and no thing is perfect, right? I just wrote the book as best as I could and let the chips fall where they may. This was not a perfect process, either, but when I did let go of worrying about creating the perfect book, that helpless feeling lifted off my shoulders like mountain clouds evaporating in the sun, allowing me to turn my attention to the tasks at hand. And listen to my excellent editor!
A book is a bookmark in the author’s life
The book project took a really long time, but telling myself I could handle it and taking baby steps towards the goal, gave me hope, motivation, and energy to work.
Do you face a situation that makes you feel helpless right now? Do you believe you can find a way to handle it? Believing you can do that is the first step.
Let’s move from “I feel helpless” to “I can handle this,” and figure out ways to do it.
Thanks for reading!
Best wishes from your writer on the wing,
Charlene
P.S. – Trivia
Where did this phrase, “your writer on the wing,” come from? It started with the quote on my home page from Ray Bradbury: “Jump off the cliff and learn how to build wings on the way down.”
Also, I’ve done a whole lot of traveling via airplanes around the world with Hoyt, my husband, so I have been “on the wing” quite a bit.
For my travel posts, visit Travels Archives | Charlene L. Edge (charleneedge.com)
P.S.S. – What I have to say about fundamentalism, cults, and The Way International™
If you’ve subscribed to my blog because you’re interested in what I have written about fundamentalism and/or cults—especially The Way International™—you can find my posts on those topics under the Blog link at the top of any page of my website. Click here.
Peggy+Lantz
Yes. Taken in small bites, we can do it, can’t we?