Post injury gratitude

Photo credit: Carolina Egaña

This morning I did a Yin Yoga class. About mid-way through, the instructor said we might be feeling frustrated at her when in a difficult pose or disappointed with ourselves for our inability to do a pose to our satisfaction. This made me realise that, although the pose was difficult, I only felt gratitude: joy that I can move mostly pain-free now; appreciation at my body's ability to heal and at the physio therapist and doctors who have helped me; and thankfulness that I can participate in a yoga class on a Wednesday morning. This feeling of relief and gratitude often arises after I've had a bout of illness or injury. During that period I am so pleased to be better than I was before that I actively appreciate healthiness.

Post-rejection plan

I am getting ready to submit a short story to a competition and pitch my YA manuscript to publishers. Although I've mostly got over the crippling fear of submitting, I still get an oh-my-god-what-am-I-doing rush when I hit send. Each time a rejection comes back in I remind myself that many published novelists were rejected multiple times (It's an interesting list, but I take no responsibility to the writing).

In this image the treasure is publishing a novel. 

I have a magic number of rejections in my head, after which I'll get contracted. I know it's a delusion, but it keeps me going. I have recently struck on another tool to get me through rejections – this short story competition and pitching my latest manuscript will be the test. When (I can't even say "if" anymore) these get rejected, I'm going to invest in a mentor. I will go to my local Writers Centre and sign up for a writing mentorship program. I'm pretty excited about it and that will hopefully cushion me through this round of rejections. It has the added bonus of being a pro-active approach to reducing further rejections too, I hope.

Maybe this technique could get me through other undesirable events: I'm putting off making a dentist appointment – after I go, I can buy a bottle of wine (and drink it). I don't like mopping the floor – after I do, I get to sit down with a chocolate and a book.