Moving forward from loss to success
It's not uncommon for people to have wildly disparate goals. After all, success is measured in relation to one's own expectations. As a writer, one of my primary objectives is to have my stories read by the widest possible audience. The number of purchases is how I gauge my readership. However, expectations do not end there. We are never satisfied with what is presented to us and always want more. However, one might wonder if our hopes are realistic or even measurable.
It doesn't matter how much you achieve; other people will still consider you successful. They might use their own standards, norms, etc., to evaluate how well you have done. Their standards won't match yours. For instance, I've written four books and am constantly complimented on my prolific output. Still, four books isn't much of a challenge for me. I'm sure that if I put in a little extra effort, kept myself motivated and focused, I could produce a few more books!!!
As you see one needs to work harder, be motivated, stay focused, and avoid procrastination in order to accomplish this. The urge to put pen to paper fluctuates, and there are times when I just can't muster the energy. Sometimes I even forced myself to sit down and type every day.
For me, 2018 was a year fraught with adversity. I began writing Caribbean Tears in the first week of January. It is a psychological thriller highlighting the plight of victims of human trafficking. My mom was taken to the emergency room in March. I was afraid to lose her. I worried and prayed as I continued writing my novel. The death of my older brother in May was the most devastating news I've ever received. For a couple of months, I put off writing. However, my grandma passed away in August. I made the decision to keep developing Caribbean Tears in her memory. I forced myself to type it every day as I grieved. I didn't let my pain to become my obstacle!!! Thanks to God I am not grieving anymore!!!
Dean @ St. James | Doctor of Theology Candidate
2 å¹´Emiliya Ahmadova, your grandma would be so proud of you! You pressed on. You completed Caribbean Tears. I commend you doing this during a stressful time in your life. I hope you will take time to be good to you. It's essential to your well-being that you do that. When the grieving process is stalled, you get stuck in it. It will take longer to get on to the next step, and the ones after that. How is your mother now? I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.