"Don’t stew…do" Some words of wisdom for the overwhelmed and under confident...

By Joy Mizzoni

Every time I start questioning my present situation, something happens to remind me that I am right where I need to be…for example….

My boss called me a writer today.  He probably thinks that I didn’t notice; but I did. 

No one has told me to stop writing blogs at work.  Yet, I have diabolically dodged all the blog ideas floating around my cranial cavity today by telling myself it’s not “really” work related. I keep waiting for the inevitable reprimand. It hasn’t come yet.

This blog has almost 1,000 views.  It’s been live barely a month.  

I just realized the only person telling me that I shouldn’t be writing at work is me. The only demoralizing demon lurching in every shadow is just fear. You know, false expectations appearing real.  

Above the line behavior   is synonymous with victorious behavior.  It is the realm of choices and control.  Below the line behavior  is cutting your nose off to spite your face. It is martyrdom in the most nonsensical sense. 

Unfortunately, sometimes we wear our victimization like our favorite fleece pajamas; warmth emanating from our comforting sense of familiarity.  

My life has been difficult. Not just inconvenient.  I mean Lifetime Movie Channel difficult. I carry a lot of blame towards others for my lack of opportunities. 

But that was then.  A long long time ago, far far away. 

I can handle this. I have been handling it.  If I don’t handle it, then I am to blame. 

If I stop writing blogs, it is because I talked myself out of it. If I am unsuccessful in art, then it’s because I was too afraid to take risks. There is no chorus of the disgruntled undermining my talents, dreams, and passions. 

It’s just me.  It’s just worry.

So, I share this with you, the advice my mentor Coach Jim Munro so generously gave me after listening to me ramble off about 100 different things I wasn’t sure I could handle:

• Make a list of everything that MUST get done today
• IGNORE ALL THE ‘WHAT IFS’
• Then start doing RIGHT NOW what MUST get done

And I swear to you, he ended his pep-talk with “don’t stew, do!”  How he makes this stuff up on the spot, I’ll never know….