Christina Katz is posting the 52 Qualities of Prosperous Writers in her weekly e-zine The Prosperous Writer. This week she talks about self-respect.
In summary, she says that self-respect will help you set appropriate priorities for yourself and your family (rather than others or urgency setting priorities for you), take yourself and your writing seriously, and help you keep your sanity. I think these things apply more broadly to life than just in writing.
She asked her readers to rate themselves on a 1 to 10 scale regarding self-respect. I would put myself at a 6. I can say no, but usually feel some level of guilt. I am susceptible to flattery, so when someone says I would be good at something, I feel obligated to say yes even if I ultimately say no. I am learning to listen to trusted voices in my life who are very comfortable encouraging me to say no to distractions and yes to my personal priorities. This is something I can definitely work on in the coming year!
Priorities are huge! Sometimes it can mean the difference between whether writing is a hobby or a serious endeavor.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.