The Daily Freelancer: The Ups and Downs of Writing
It’s been a day! I finished up a successful website writing project, started an editing project, received a pass on one pitch, and a rejection on a story. Of course I was jazzed and over the moon about the completion of the website project. There’s nothing like knowing you did good work, and it’s always worth celebrating! But as for the rejections…man, it’s personal.
One thing I’m learning as a professional writer is to rise above both the positives and setbacks, and not make it emotional. One way forward is to employ a basic principle found in meditation and mindfulness.
A few years ago, I was using the meditation app Headspace pretty regularly. (It’s fantastic, and I highly recommend it.) The basics of meditation and mindfulness are rooted in the idea that you can step back from your emotions, and that they can be things to observe rather than things that control you. Headspace uses the analogy of blue sky (you can watch a video here). Even if there are a few clouds, and even if there’s a big storm, there will always be blue, clear sky above it — you just have to get above the clouds to see it. Instead of being in the midst of the storm, tossed and tumbled and at its whim, you’re watching the storm from above, and not affected by it at all.
This is a great principle to apply to writing. Because it’s such a hit-or-miss, rejection-heavy profession, it’s good to rise above the daily ups and downs — which can trigger emotional swings — to the blue sky of what the next project is, where to go for the next idea, and so on.
It’s definitely a lesson I’m learning, but at least now I know how to learn it.
Hi! I’m Jessica, and I can write your content. Head to my Writer for Hire page, and work with me today!