Fireside Chat with Aunty Meg

Thanks for the votes on the last blog. Sadly, there were less than ten, so no video for you! Not now at least.

What I had envisioned in my head was a real treat, but alas.

Fireside Chat with Aunty Meg: Part 1

I have to call attention to how ridiculous I feel about what I'm going to say. Not that the thoughts themselves are ridiculous, but I feel like a dork saying them.

Because come on! No one wants me to give them advice, hence the ironic (satirical? sarcastic? help me out here) title.

But really. I've discovered a key to life. Let me rephrase. I haven't discovered anything, just put an old idea to use in my life--and to great effect!

"I'm comfortable not trying things, because then I never fail."

As long as I don't try to do something at which I might fail, I haven't failed. It's safe. It's easier because I don't have to deal with the self-esteem backlash of the seven-letter f word.

To be accurate, I try many things and both fail and succeed. Mostly fail. But there are a few things that I'm truly passionate about that seem TOO BIG, TOO IMPORTANT to risk.

Writing and publishing a book might be first under that category. Music would be second. The boys I've liked but never pursued would be third (Gross. I'm getting waaaaay too personal now).

Back in November something changed. I'm not sure what. I'm not sure why. I'm just grateful it did.

I was freed from a moticum of the fear I felt about trying to do what I actually wanted to do with my life.

I finally felt that I, Megan, would finally write a book, let that book be seen by the world...and not care if they hated it. Which they probably would.

Not care if they hated it? Crazy talk. But really. As soon as I released myself from the anxiety and stigma attached with failure, I was free. Like this:

And that's what I want to tell you. Don't do things because they're the kind of easy that you won't fail at. Don't not do things because you're afraid that you'll be no good at them.

Gosh, it's a beautiful realization.

And it's paying off. I've fallen on my face, but there's something free-willy about accepting myself as imperfect and prone to falling down.

I've put myself on the line more these past few months and I have the bruises to show for it...

...but I also have a business card and pitch request from a certain publisher who launched the careers of multiple NYT bestselling authors...

So that's a step in the right direction.

I wish all of you many happy failures,
Aunty Meg

p.s. My "9(" key is working again. Apparently it saw me groveling and restored to me the power of parentheses (as some of you have surely noticed). I'm much obliged.