joy & moxie

Writer's Life

Windowsill Beetle

Do you sometimes feel like a ladybug wandering back and forth on the edge of a windowsill?

windowsill lady bug

 

Stuck between a pane of glass and empty air? Avoiding the cold and clinging to the light? You’re asking yourself, Will I survive the winter? How long can I wander back and forth over this ledge, tracing the same patterns and stains in the wood?

Is this what your creativity – writing, painting, sewing – feels like? Difficult? Stubborn? Futile? Sometimes writing is hard, hard work even when tell ourselves we love it and can’t imagine doing anything else with our lives. Sometimes the words don’t come. Sometimes we are wandering back and forth through our draft. No end in sight. There will always be days like this. Cloudy days. Cold days. Uninspired days. Part of being an artist, I’ve realized, is to be okay with crappy writing days – they trump no-writing days, hands-down.

Can I look at the ladybug a different way?

Is the beetle really frustrated with her situation? Could she be content? Does she pause in her sojourn, look at the sunset and express gratitude for being here to see it? She won’t be here long. And she can fly if she wants to; she has sturdy little wings under that helmet of an exoskeleton. For now, it just might be her time to rest.

We all need rest and a little sunshine, even if there’s less and less of it each day. Just a little bit will help us across the sill again and all through the winter to come. So, go slow – day by day. Be kind to yourself. Drink something warm. Light a candle. Day-dream until the sun comes back.

 

5 Comment

  1. Does your blog have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but,
    I’d like to send you an email. I’ve got some ideas for your
    blog you might be interested in hearing.
    Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it improve over time.

    1. HI, Brandon. I’ve just added a subscribe widget, and now that I’ve launched I realize I do in fact need a contact page. I’m still learning the ropes, I’m afraid. Contact page will be up shortly. Meanwhile, an email you can use to contact me would be joyandmoxieblog@gmail.com. Thanks for visiting! -j

  2. Great blog! Do you have any recommendations for aspiring writers?
    I’m hoping to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
    Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or
    go for a paid option? There are so many choices
    out there that I’m completely confused ..
    Any ideas? Thank you!

    1. Hi there! So glad you like my blog. Long story short, I’m still a newbie at this, too. What I did was stumble upon a blog that had some great information about how they started and what they recommended. I’d check out http://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2013/02/how-to-start-a-blog-tips.html. I actually purchased webhosting through Bluehost, like Michelle did. It’s a little pricy upfront but it is for 3 years of service. Web hosting, as I understand it, ensures that your blog gets more traffic, is secure and easily monetized. I’d definitely visit makingsenseofcents.com because she explains it really well.

      Whew – that was a lot of info to throw at you! Like I said, I’m a newbie myself, but am definitely in favor of learning as I go along! Thanks for reading!

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