Writer’s Block, Gratitude and Inspiration

It is Day 7 of the Blogging Challenge I am participating in and I have writer’s block. It’s the last day!! How could this happen to me!

Wait a minute . . . First of all, I don’t believe things “happen to me” – they happen and I deal with them. I am not one to wallow or wonder “why me” because I am too busy solving whatever problem has “happened” or enjoying whatever gift life is giving me.

I have writer’s block because I have told myself that on this last day of the Challenge, I need to be Brilliant (yes, with a capital “B”)! I need to be Inspirational!! I want to be Memorable! I need to go out of the Challenge with a Bang!!!

Nothing like a little pressure to stop my fingers in their tracks, refusing to type! Write something? Nope. Let’s clean. Let’s play Word with Friends. Let’s catch up on the news and banking. Let’s read other people’s blogs! I kept going back to look at a blank page and the words would still not come. (I assure you, this is a rare event. I am never at a loss for words – just ask Hubby!).

Because I recently watched a friend’s inspiring video on those destructive thoughts our brain sometimes peppers us with, I decided to acknowledge the self-sabotage I was engaging in.

I have writer’s block. Gee, that’s interesting! Thank you for being there today. Now, just move over so I can write. That wasn’t so hard. Still there? Just shush for a minute – I’m busy writing.

Today is all about gratitude and inspiration! I want to share what I am grateful for and why I am inspired.

1. Caregivers inspire me! Every day millions of people wake up and care for a loved one or friend. Many times, they do so with people who have become angry and difficult because of their dementia. They care for their parent who has no idea who they are. They do the dirty work (and there is dirty work involved in personal care) and they do so knowing they’re going to do it again tomorrow and the next day. Since starting to care for Robert, I have met some amazing people who care for their loved ones (and believe me, what I do for Robert is nothing compared to these inspirational people). These are not people who will be famous or rich because of what they do (in fact, many of them are struggling financially because of the horrendous costs associated with caregiving) but they are quiet, unsung heroes every day of the week. I am grateful to them for their friendship and wisdom and insight.

2. Friends (new and old) inspire me. The new friends I have made through blogging inspire me to be a better person. These people are so talented yet not selfish. They encourage and inspire success in others as much as they want it for themselves. They believe success and good fortune is not finite. There is enough room in the world for everyone to enjoy success, happiness and peace. Okay, I may sound a little delusional and Pollyanna-ish (I’m practical myself, you know) but why not operate under the assumption that these are all attainable? Why have a defeatist attitude to start out with? That’s not for me. Please check out these inspirational women: Atticus Uncensored, Fiona Stolze, Laine and Judy. I am grateful to “old” friends as well and don’t mean to give them less attention (or call them old!). They may not have their own websites but they are there for me when I’m pulling my hair out because of the garage conversion issues or problems with Robert’s New Home. They let me rant and rave and then get coffee with me when I need to vent some more.

3. Family inspires me! The gratitude I have for my family cannot even be properly expressed by words (and it’s not due to writer’s block). The magnitude of their support while I have taken on the caregiving for Robert and focused more on my career #2 (writing) has been inspiring and overwhelming. Their confidence and belief in me is what keeps me going when I have doubts I can find an audience for my book (Forever a Caregiver will be available within weeks!!) or my blog. They share in my excitement about my projects yet are dedicated and inspiring in their own pursuits as well. I am both blessed and grateful for my inspiring family.

4. A special shout out to Writer’s Block. You did not win but I am grateful for experiencing it and for allowing me the opportunity to prove that I can overcome it. (Can I say "neener, neener" without sounding childish?).

I’m interested to know what inspires you and what you are grateful for. Do you share the belief that there is enough success to go around or do you believe there’s only a finite amount of room for success?