• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • San Diego Momma
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
San Diego Momma

San Diego Momma

Sharing some humor, a bit of writing and way too much information

Home / PROMPTuesdays / PROMPTuesday #232: Facing the Fear

PROMPTuesday #232: Facing the Fear

PROMPTuesdays

I’ve done an informal observation of the first few weeks of 2014, and have noticed many people moving past their old beliefs of themselves and pushing the boundaries. This might mean returning to the core of who they are, or fighting beyond self-imposed restrictions and self-limiting perceptions that keep them tied to the same old things. I’m not an astrology person, but if I were, I’m sure there’d be some cosmic planetary alignment anomaly going on that’s causing the collective unconscious to redefine itself.

 

I know it’s happening to me.

 

For the past many years, I’ve pretty much coasted along from thing to thing and allowed myself to get swept up in this or that, which defrayed my focus on the one true thing: the book I’m writing. I’m sure it’s unconscious and there’s a million reasons why I’ve distracted myself (I’m quite certain “fear of financial success” is not one of them), but whenever I’m speaking to someone about the this or that (blogging, let’s say; or my writing existential crisis), I hear: you need to finish your book.

 

Now I know that’s true, but there’s so many other things: making a living, taking care of the kids, worrying about why there’s so much dust in my house – and then dusting it. However, there are fears behind the lack of manuscript completion that I’m avoiding facing.

 

I promised myself I’d march past those fears this year. Then as if to cement my promise, I received an email from a mesothelioma survivor who told me that after she’d had her left lung removed eight years ago, she created “Lung Leavin’ Day” to commemorate the day that changed her life forever and tackling the fear of surgery and her disease head on.

 

To celebrate, she invites her friends and family over every year on February 2 and asks them to write their fears on plates and then smash them in a spectacular bonfire made of phoenix pixie dust (I made that last part up).

 

Smashing fears - PROMPTuesday

 

I’ll smash my virtual plates in communion.

 

Here they are:

 

1) I’ll finish my book and it will blow ass.

 

2) I’ll never finish my book and just keep writing posts like this saying how I need to finish my book.

 

3) My plotting sucks and my story ideas are ridiculous.

 

4) I’m nothin’ special.

 

5) I can’t write anyway, so why bother?

 

6) What if this is my only idea ever, and I finish the book and I’m dried up?

 

I’ve been stuck in the middle of my book forever.  I have 100 pages and 25,000 words written. Given that most middle grade novels are in the 40,000-word range, I’m more than half done! I mean, COME ON. Of course, there’s the revising and the editing and the culling and the curating and the darling killing, but I could have a shitty first draft in one month if I wrote 500 words from now until February 21.

 

I don’t know, like I said, things feel different this year. Sort of as if my fears and will to distract are being bowled over by the Universe’s intention.

 

So, I’ll go with it, and SMASH. Smash it hard.

 

What fear plates are you smashing this year?

 

Please post your submission in the comments OR post in your blog and leave a link to your blog in the comments.

 

To bone up on PROMPTuesdays, read a bit about it here.

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • X

January 21, 2014 · 1 Comment

Sure I’d love to see you again

Previous Post: « PROMPTuesday #231: My Weird Quirks
Next Post: PROMPTuesday #233: Tell Your Story »

Reader Interactions

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Mama Mary says

    January 27, 2014 at 3:22 pm

    Oh so much to say to this post, but I think we need to talk about it all over some wine. Now go write a page in your book!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

I love words. Every one, every time. (Except “moist.” That word can go.) …read more

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Sure. I’d love to see you again.

Categories

Archives

San Diego Momma
Dammit, I loathe the #blessed hashtag but… Dammit, I loathe the #blessed hashtag but…
We tried to get the skyline but missed the eyeline We tried to get the skyline but missed the eyeline…! ;)
I want this to be the cover of my memoir. Titled “Where’d the magic go?” Or just “WTF?”
I come across these old diary entries every few ye I come across these old diary entries every few years or so after cleaning out drawers. Makes me fall in love with my inner child all over again!
We so Tuscan! #Temecula We so Tuscan! #Temecula
Funnest birthday/holiday celebration yesterday! Vi Funnest birthday/holiday celebration yesterday! Visited Del Mar’s shops, businesses, restaurants and bars for the Village’s annual Taste and Sip with closest pals. Highlights: learning about Mezcal at @enfuegocantina, sampling new @lalospirits tequila, catching the sunset at @monarchdelmar, amazing ceviche at @coya_peruvian_secret, and the most delicious gluten-free birthday cake from @shanjo! Recommend this for next year - was the best best most good time.
Meet “The Neighbors”, a hilarious new sitcom c Meet “The Neighbors”, a hilarious new sitcom coming soon to a suburb near you. (Not really.)
#annualholidayparty
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Hello Chicky