Sunday, February 13, 2011

Focusing on the Positive



It’s been a long time since I posted—sorry ‘bout that. Suffice it to say that I’ve been busy, like everyone else, with the holidays and such. I just ‘crashed’ in January, trying to get my feet back under me. However, new health issues cropped up (nothing too serious) and all I can say is that it’s not fun getting old. Besides that, my ‘golden’ years have turned to tin, what with the economy and all, but I guess that’s true for just about everyone, my age or not.

I’m coping, though.

Putting on a smile and adopting a positive attitude helps. Helping others helps. Being a friend when things aren’t so rosy is much better than a ‘fair weather’ friend who only turns up when things are going great. In this day and age, it is important to be positive and to surround yourself with positive people—people who support you in whatever you do.

That’s why I love my writers’ group, the Writers Resource Center. It’s full of great, upbeat, positive folks who just love to write. We support each other, too, whatever the genre. We’ve got poets, non-fiction writers, fiction novelists, children’s book writers, people who write romances, memoirs, and inspirational books.

The WRC started in 2003. I am one of the charter members. I became the VP early on, assisting Janie Bess, our founder and president, in getting the organization going. Eight years later, I'm still on the Board (as Secretary) and we now have about a dozen published authors (including me)!

We meet on the 2nd Saturday of every month, except for July and December. We figure folks are pretty busy around those months with vacations and holidays and all.

Yesterday I was responsible for holding the monthly meeting. According to everyone's feedback, it was one of the best. The subject? Well, I called it Basic Training (a sort of writing ‘boot camp) and geared for beginning writers. I helped the participants identify their strengths as writers, covered a few of the big writing pitfalls, a little grammar (including active vs. passive writing and adverb abuse), and the difference between "telling" and "showing"—a biggee for writers of all genres and categories. Through a few well selected exercises, I helped them take their writing from flat and lifeless (telling) to better ("showing" using active verbs), to glorious (by learning how to use verbs with more impact). It was fun for me and, I think, fun for them, too.

Too bad we only had 12 or so people. But, hey, that’s okay. I plan on giving another class in the fall, maybe something a little more advanced.
Afterwards, we held another meeting on organizing a marketing cooperative. Marketing our books is expensive and time consuming. We talked about pooling our resources and our time and how we could make our marketing dollars go a LOT farther. Who came up with this idea? Me. Who do they want to run it? Me.

Geez. I’m already on the Board and committed to 2 meetings per month (regular and Board), but to chair the Marketing Committee, too? Mmmm. I don’t know. Maybe for a little while, but I’m already busier than a one-armed paper hanger!

The point I’m trying to make here is that everyone needs help these days.
Don’t ever think for a second that everyone is doing hunky-dory. We all need to hear the ‘kudos’ and ‘great job’ and ‘you’re gonna get there, just keep doing what you’re doing.’

Everyone needs a cheerleader.

I have friends who are losing their homes, losing their jobs, running out of their unemployment benefits, or are suffering through major health issues. The dollar continues to decline and is worth less than ever before. Fuel and food and utilities are gonna go up in price . . . some say 20% while others say much more. Yikes!

I could easily focus on all the bad stuff and get depressed, but why? Some famous (or infamous) new-age philosopher said it best: It is what it is.

Some things I have control over and some I don’t. So, for now, I choose to focus on the positive and count my blessings.

So I can’t complain. I’ll cope with whatever comes up, but in the meantime, I’m gonna try to enjoy my life as much as possible and concentrate on the things I can control.

Even though life throws a curve . . . even though it can, indeed, be shitty, be happy anyway. Smile anyway. Look for the silver lining. It doesn’t hurt. Even though a smile is a small thing, it is powerful--it helps uplift you and everyone around you. So, if you can help others in any way, do it! Don’t give in to commiseration, complaining, and nay-saying. Stay positive. Give others whatever emotional support you can, even if it’s just a smile and a kind word.