http://abundantlyalivenow.com/blog/abundantly-alive/the-secret-of-self-confidence_6 A perspective about what turns a life of scarcity, fear, and struggle into an "Abundantly Alive Now!" life. Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:35:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 http://abundantlyalivenow.com/blog/abundantly-alive/the-secret-of-self-confidence_6/comment-page-1#comment-13 Virginia Thompson Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:35:53 +0000 http://abundantlyalivenow.com/blog/archives/2007_09_25_6#comment-13 I received a letter from my husband's grandmother with the Lloyd George quote and immediately thought of my many incomplete projects. Right now, I have two book ideas that are quite interesting to me. When I tell other people about them, they are fascinated. But the work just sits incomplete. The quote brought me up short. My failure to produce leaves me feeling inferior, insubstantial. In short, it has been fatal to my character. It is not that I think I must produce to be worthwhile; intellectually, I have rejected that idea. It is just that the time I could have spent on ideas that really interest me, I have frittered away on activities that leave me with no joy of discovery, no feeling of stretching beyond my current situation. My failure to finish these tasks may not yet have been fatal to my character, but it has definitely contributed to my feeling of dis-ease. I received a letter from my husband’s grandmother with the Lloyd George quote and immediately thought of my many incomplete projects. Right now, I have two book ideas that are quite interesting to me. When I tell other people about them, they are fascinated. But the work just sits incomplete. The quote brought me up short. My failure to produce leaves me feeling inferior, insubstantial. In short, it has been fatal to my character.
It is not that I think I must produce to be worthwhile; intellectually, I have rejected that idea. It is just that the time I could have spent on ideas that really interest me, I have frittered away on activities that leave me with no joy of discovery, no feeling of stretching beyond my current situation. My failure to finish these tasks may not yet have been fatal to my character, but it has definitely contributed to my feeling of dis-ease.

]]> http://abundantlyalivenow.com/blog/abundantly-alive/the-secret-of-self-confidence_6/comment-page-1#comment-6 Nicky VanValkenburgh Sat, 29 Sep 2007 12:36:12 +0000 http://abundantlyalivenow.com/blog/archives/2007_09_25_6#comment-6 Funny how I stumbled on this post, after awakening this morning and writing out my intentions to get more organized and structured about writing my book. I made a list of the exact steps that I need to take to finsih the project. Now, I intend to stick to the project and see it to completion. Nothing is more frustrating than incompletion. I've written a lot of unfinished book manuscripts and articles-- and know exactly what Kalinda is saying. Part of the problem is that it's hard to get organized, and then the inner critic steps in and tells you your idea isn't worth pursuing, or you just can't get your ideas out of your brain in a structured and organized way. Yes, it is good to finish what you start. I've pushed myself to finish reading books or listen to audio cds, simply because I want to get through it. Kalinda is right about the feeling of confidence that comes from completion. Every time you finish writing an article or book, something registers in your brain... and this makes it easier for you to go further the next time. The next time that you write, you're able to stretch the idea further, and make your metaphors and analogies crisper. You may have a whole new understanding or framework. Like an artist, you've create something new, and can step back and admire it. It's a wonderful feeling to create something new. There is a tremendous sense of accomplishment. You feel like a better person. Another thing that I notice about completing an article or book is that you've internalized the information in a new way. Now you can easily explain your idea to others, as if it's all organized and structured in your mind. One last thing about completion. Good writing involves drawing from your past experiences, recalling information that is buried deep in your subconsicous. When this happens, you are able to make changes in the way you think, feel and act.. rather than being stuck in old patterns and loops. In this way, writing is an vechicle for personal transformation. Funny how I stumbled on this post, after awakening this morning and writing out my intentions to get more organized and structured about writing my book. I made a list of the exact steps that I need to take to finsih the project. Now, I intend to stick to the project and see it to completion. Nothing is more frustrating than incompletion. I’ve written a lot of unfinished book manuscripts and articles– and know exactly what Kalinda is saying. Part of the problem is that it’s hard to get organized, and then the inner critic steps in and tells you your idea isn’t worth pursuing, or you just can’t get your ideas out of your brain in a structured and organized way. Yes, it is good to finish what you start. I’ve pushed myself to finish reading books or listen to audio cds, simply because I want to get through it. Kalinda is right about the feeling of confidence that comes from completion. Every time you finish writing an article or book, something registers in your brain… and this makes it easier for you to go further the next time. The next time that you write, you’re able to stretch the idea further, and make your metaphors and analogies crisper. You may have a whole new understanding or framework. Like an artist, you’ve create something new, and can step back and admire it. It’s a wonderful feeling to create something new. There is a tremendous sense of accomplishment. You feel like a better person. Another thing that I notice about completing an article or book is that you’ve internalized the information in a new way. Now you can easily explain your idea to others, as if it’s all organized and structured in your mind. One last thing about completion. Good writing involves drawing from your past experiences, recalling information that is buried deep in your subconsicous. When this happens, you are able to make changes in the way you think, feel and act.. rather than being stuck in old patterns and loops. In this way, writing is an vechicle for personal transformation.

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