In my office, I have a framed quote that constantly reminds me life is not the absence of challenges, disappointments and unexpected twists. Those who succeed don’t avoid those storms, but rather learn to find the good in them. They learn to dance in the rain.
As a writer, you’ll be faced with all sorts of storms. What you do with those storms will determine your future more than the storms themselves. So how do you learn to dance? Let’s take a look.
Dancing in the Rain in a choice. You have little or no control over most of the storms in life. But you do have complete control over how you react to them. It’s true. I’m writing this on the airplane while traveling to the book launch of Lisa Jordan’s very first novel. She struggled for ten years before she finally saw her work in print. She could have given in to the storm. No one would have faulted her. But Lisa decided to learn to dance in the rain. So can you. Decide now how you will ride it out.
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Dancing in the rain can be fun. Because you have total control over your attitude, you can actually create a fun environment to survive the storm. If you live near the US east coast, you have heard of hurricane parties. Folks get together with food, battery powered music, movies and games to weather the wind and rain. Before they know it, the storm has passed and the sun shines brightly. You can do that, too. Invite your friends to wait out the storm with you. Have a writing party. Brainstorm that really tough scene.
Dancing in the rain gives you latitude. Think about the last time you saw some poor woman rushing toward her parked car in the middle of a deluge. If she were to kick her tires or slam her soggy purse into the windshield, you wouldn’t be surprised. In fact, most likely you would empathize with her. After all, she’s pretty sloshed, right? If she broke into dance, you’d nod understandingly. Making the best of a soggy situational storm will give you—the writer caught out in the rain—a way to cope and move past the monsoon.
Learn to dance in the rain. You’ll be in good company. How many published authors do you think are also rain dancers? Ummm, all of them! You’ll have great dance partners!
Reba J. Hoffman, Ph.D.
Member Care Coach
AUTHOR BIO: Reba J. Hoffman is the MBT Member Care Coach. She has a PhD in clinical counseling and is the founder and president of New Hope Institute of Counseling. Reba uses her gift of encouragement to help writers overcome negative emotions so they can live their dream of being a writer. Her works appear in publications such as Running for the Woman’s Soul by Road Runner Sports and The Good Fight by Donna Hicken. She is the author of My Book Therapy’s Dare to Dream, a Writer’s Journal. Contact her at reba@mybooktherapy.com.
So what storms are you facing right now? How are you coping? Need help dancing in the rain? Email me at reba@mybooktherapy.com.