Men come here every day to design and build things out of metal. From a woman's perspective, though, the walls need paint, the carpet needs replaced, and the hazmat team needs called before it's suitable.
There is one office-item in pristine condition, though: the Budweiser girl. She is tacked up squarely without a wrinkle or a stain. (Clearly the guys who work here have their priorities straight.)
I am 7.5 months pregnant. Looking at that bronzed, flat-ribbed girl makes me want to do something drastic... like draw stretch marks on her perfectly-shaped boobs.
I'm not gonna lie. I'm never gonna look like that again. (As if I ever did.)
But it won't stop me from subconsciously measuring myself against the airbrushed standard. I may not even realize it, may not have coherent thoughts about it. But it's there... the comparison.
The same thing is true about writing. We may not realize it, but some of us have immeasurable expectations of ourselves.
Can I encourage you today to push through that feeling? Lower you expectations just a little. Forget the idea that anyone's perfect. They're not. It's just a show.
The truth is, you are the only person who can write your story. It might come with a few stretch marks in the beginning, but are your readers really going to care?
Honestly... nobody likes the Budweiser girl anyway.
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B.J. Hamrick writes for you and for teens at www.realteenfaith.com.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I DEFINITELY have this problem. Its very stiffling and because of it I procrastinate and throw most every idea out the window. The ones I do keep I normally don't finish bc I keep thinking "this sucks. It'll never be good enough"
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to overcome it the best I can but there isn't like a 12 step program for it. Sometimes I wish someone would just give me a plot and a few basics things & then I write it. In pretty sure comparison & strive for perfectionism is weasle it's way in there too soooo......
Amen! lol Love the analogy.
ReplyDeleteSuri - you're not alone, sweetie. Everyone has self doubts! Perfectionism can be such a burden. I vote you drop it like it's hot ::wink:: and write what you want - what you're passionate about. Let your story shine through you because as BJ said - it can only truly come from you. No one else.
Thank you so much, BJ! It's a great thing to remember. I don't usually worry too much about my body image, but it is frustrating to think that that's what the world wants. Who cares about them, though? That's what I want to know :)
ReplyDeleteGreat way to put it.
ReplyDeleteIt must how we all grow as writers. I've been going through the final edits of my first novel and realizing how young I sound. It makes me want to throw it out and write it all again, but I just have to remember that's where I was as a writer when I wrote it and not expect it to be perfect.