Giving Up?

I know someone who’s a writer. She’s been writing since she was a child. She’s pretty good. She submitted a story, and it didn’t get published. It wasn’t the first time. She said, “Why do I keep trying?” and “Maybe I’m not as good as I thought” and “Maybe I’m not good enough” and finally, “Maybe I should stop trying”.

I had a patient, great guy, needed something after his wife died, took up photography, took photography classes, told me  how much he loved it. It gave him an opportunity to be creative and see the world differently. Later he told me he compared himself to others in his class and also people he knew and he decided he just wasn’t good enough. The other guys were so much better. He figured he’d better quit.

So, these guys had it figured out – they were only as good as someone else told them they were. And even if they loved something and it fulfilled them or gave them joy, if it didn’t seem like it would be judged good enough by others, they decided they should give it up.

Really?!!! So, if you truly love something but others are better at it, you give your happiness up? Or is your joy diminished because in comparison, others are better so somehow your happiness is worthless?

Personally, I can’t stand that thinking. Don’t let others steal from you and don’t steal from yourself. You are entitled to enjoy your own life in your own way. And if you don’t know yet what gives you happiness then it’s a pretty great task to try things until something catches on.

I think go find it and when you find it, don’t let it go. - My two cents!