It Will Be OK

Another brief missive in my shorties series:

This week has been full of challenges. Real fun ones like migraines in addition to computer difficulties in addition to rewrites. When you have one of these plus general life stuff it can be frustrating. But when you’re facing them all in the same period of time it can feel impossible.

I have definitely been in this position before. I am familiar with this song. But this time I tried a new arrangement. I just kept telling myself: it is going to be OK.

My head feels like it will explode…..but soon enough it will feel better. I have music to compose but all I can do is rest right now…..that’s just the way it is. This computer situation is incredibly frustrating…..but we know how to move forward with a solution so let’s just get it done. That cue wasn’t approved….definitely been here before and the previous one was approved so you can totally do this. Just keep swimming.

I breathed my way through this week. It was a really freaking rough week but I just kept moving forward, one foot in front of the other. Everything still hurt a lot (in every sense of the word), don’t get me wrong, but this time it felt a little easier.

We often talk about the freelance life being a marathon, not a sprint. One thing marathon runners talk a lot about is pain. Here is a quote from Ultra marathon runner Dean Karnazes:

“I never feel more alive than when I’m in great pain, struggling against insurmountable odds and untold adversity. Hardship? Suffering? Bring it!”

There are a bunch more quotes about pain I could copy in here from people in this intense marathon-running arena. I have also been watching swimming and climbing documentaries recently: Kim Swims and the oscar-winning Free Solo to name two. What these athletes put their body through to achieve their goal is amazing. Yes, there is pain, but it’s OK. It is expected. It is accepted as part of the process.

When you embrace the challenge, instead of seizing up and resisting, suddenly everything becomes a lot easier. It still hurts, it is still hard, but you don’t waste energy fighting against it. We have much better things to do with that energy.

So, friends, here we go into a new week of freelance life. The odds of us facing a challenge, expected or completely out of left field, are pretty solid. Open yourself up, accept the challenge put to you, embrace the pain and Just Keep Swimming.

Have a great week!