In The Arena!

Hey folks! It’s ya girl, Hope…

One year ago today, I was writing nearly everyday!

All these pieces keep popping up in my memories and so recently I sent a piece to a dear friend and I happen to note that I had taken time to go back and review some of my older pieces, and how after taking a step back, then revisiting them…I realize I had written some very sound stuff.

I went on to say that I appreciated her feedback and how I averaged nearly 80K views a month on Pinterest…only somehow…even with that, I always ask myself, at what point do you feel like a “real” writer?

Because you see, I haven’t actually figured that part out yet as this has been an ongoing issue of mine…for a lot of reasons, most of them having NOTHING to do with my actual skill as a writer.

Her reply: “You are a real writer when you share your writing. 😘”

Her reply was simple, concise and blazed through my brain like lightening. I’m not sure she realized what an impact it had on me.

However, it made me think of Teddy Roosevelt’s speech called, “Citizenship in a Republic,” which many would come to know as “The Man in the Arena.”

Roosevelt railed against cynics who looked down at men who were trying to make the world a better place. “The poorest way to face life is to face it with a sneer,” he said. “A cynical habit of thought and speech, a readiness to criticize work which the critic himself never tries to perform, an intellectual aloofness which will not accept contact with life’s realities—all these are marks, not … of superiority but of weakness.” Then he delivered an inspirational and impassioned message that has lived on till today…

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

So while my arena may be a different arena, it is still an arena and I will keep writing and sharing with the hopes that others will read and SHARE (just like they share a meme or blog/article from any other site) despite me being my toughest critic!!!

Because I now realize, I am the one bravely climbing into the arena – exposing my own human frailties, my own human vulnerabilities, my own journey and path, allowing others to see my imperfections, along with a fuck ton (yeah I said it) of observed life’s lesson backed with actual science, psychology, history, spirituality and applicable practices in an effort to inspire, humanize and hopefully help people align their subconscious to their conscious…only I’m actually using my own life as the spring board!

I’m not putting myself out there as being perfect, or having all the answers or anything close to that. I’m not a critic of another person’s way of life or implying mine is more beautiful…

I am striving and daring to humbly share one woman’s journey (MINE) in an effort for others to perhaps read, and create a true human connection so it may cultivate a hopeful, healthy and happy awareness for and in others!

Does it mean the person reading won’t experience the same pitfalls or experiences!?!

HELL NO!!!

Only when they do, maybe something I’ve written will offer some hope, or an opportunity to relate, or some little insights that helps a person move more quickly through something that may have been a stumbling block for me for WAYYYYYY LONGER!

I am the one who may fall short, again and again and might only meet with defeat yet I’ll be the woman who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends herself in a worthy cause; in the arena!

Whatever and whichever arena I happen to be stepping in to…be it passionately loving others, taking new steps in my career, loving life, writing about all of it or pursuing new endeavors that others may shun or critique because they seem outlandish or far fetched…yet, I will never be a cold, timid soul…

I will always chose the arena!

As always…

Go in love,