The 2010 Blogathon is finishing up tomorrow, and it’s been a ride for me. Looking over my posts, I have found myself encouraging parents. I’m still testing the waters with the skill of being able to laugh at myself without being disparaging. Photography is a brand adventure for me too, because I found the truth in “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Also, I’ve discovered, to my dismay, that some of my posts are more negative than I want to be or portray. Note to self: lighten up!
Christina Katz speaks about authenticity this week in her writing newsletter. And I wanted to jump on this topic because blogging has required me to ask what details do I share and what is TMI? Authentic to me means being honest and accepting your shortcomings and your strengths. As a writer and blogger, I want to be known as genuine with the adventures of parenting. Being legit with people is life giving.
Left to myself, I’m prone to be “the cups half empty” kind of woman. Yet, I also have learned that how you look at parenting and writing is a choice. My choice. Some days I have to continually remind myself, that I chose it – both jobs…actually all three jobs. Writer, Blogger, Parent. I can look at it and grumble and say it’s too hard OR I can choose to say it’s hard some days, but “Bring it On!” We can do this together!
Where do you have to catch your thinking? Do you make the choice?
Photo courtesy of Elevate Printing (Creative Commons)
I feel that I'm always reassessing and deciding to either let things go or go harder. For example I recently gave up the dream of all organic food all the time for my daughter, but I recommitted to introducing new things tomher and upping the quality of the time that we spend together. I've also created a two days negativity rule. I have two days to really roll around in negativity, then I either have to let it go, spin it, or fix it.
One time, in a burst of self-pity, when I was feeling incredibly overwhelmed by all the things that needed doing — kid stuff, work stuff, house stuff — I suddenly realized that those were all very GOOD things, that I was essentially complaining about a bounty of blessings. That shifted my thinking.
That said, I think it's perfectly OK to be overwhelmed sometimes and to express those feelings of anger, frustration and hopelessness. We all have days like this, and we, as parents and as bloggers, don't do anyone any favorites by pretending we've got everything under control.
Ernessa, thanks for stopping by. I think when our kids are younger, we think that there is only one way to live. That can make it harder on ourselves than we need to. I like your rule – it affirms you're feeling it but then you're responsible for changing it! Nice!
Yes, Jennifer, that's what I'm talking about! I want to be encouraging parents and if I'm always up and happy, then I would not read me either! How phoney is that!