So, a few weeks back I was working on a blog post about defying the statistics attached to living with a rare disorder… then life slammed in, as it usually does.
It started off simple enough, a small cold that I tend to come down with when the weather shifts from that beachy summer heat to that breezy autumn chill. A couple days rest, soup, ginger chews and plenty of hot blackberry cinnamon tea always does the trick of killing off the sore throat and those achy bones. However, that simple little cold was the calm before the storm.
Feeling top notch and ready to knock out a few blog posts and some writing was quickly halted. Now I am a private person when it comes to certain matters in life (not every detail needs to be shared on social media), but with all the chaos that was spinning in my life I became very uninspired to write, well, anything. I’d set up my writing station (me at the kitchen table with a latte, fully charged laptop and a Spotify playlist playing) ready to type away.
Nothing… absolutely nothing would end up being typed. No words appeared on the laptop screen. Just an uninspired blank frustration.
But, that’s okay.
See, not all inspiration is found in the good moments in life. Sometimes, the most inspiring thoughts and revelations are conjured up from chaos, stress, sadness, confusion and even heartache. Change, hope and positivity are born out of darkness.
When you were a kid on the baseball team and you lost your first game, the feelings of defeat swam around your brain. But, that defeat inspired you to practice more to better your game. A broken heart from an ended relationship hurts like hell and it causes you to question, well, everything pertaining to love. However, as a bit of time passes and your broken heart heals, you realize that your ex wasn’t your “the one” allowing you to move forward with a new sense of what you’re looking for in a relationship, in a partner. A death of a loved one is a punch to the gut, the hole that’s dug in your heart is detrimental. Even out of death comes inspiration as usually a new inspired outlook on life and how precious it really is washes over.
With the Good comes the Bad and with the Bad comes new beginnings.
When it comes to writing, defeat is a bit of a double agent. Moments of defeat in life can turn out to be amazing moments of inspiration. Heartache and loss can be morphed into awesome stories that not only help you heal, but help others who end up reading your story. Whether you write out your experiences in a Non-fiction manner or a fictional manner, changing the names of the heroes and villains. Now, if the feeling of defeat strikes you while your writing your story, which it probably will, my advice is this…step away! Seriously, close the laptop and walk away from it. Take a break…go for a walk or spend the day at the beach. Have coffee with a friend or reorganize your closet. Take a weekend to getaway or spend a Saturday watching Marvel movies and cooking good comfort food. Whatever your fancy. Then, once your mind has calmed and the stress or blankness has subsided, get back at it!
It is in those upside-down experiences were our faith, hope, gratitude and appreciation are reignited. Sure, those crazy times test us, but without the bad we would never appreciate the good.
Life, for the time being, has calmed and the situations that were running amuck like Gremlins that were fed after midnight are now back to their cute little selves. The end result of the last couple of months has left me feeling extremely grateful for my family, the simplicities in life and inspiration for this blog post as well as new pieces for my current WIP.
2020 was jammed pack with tests, heartache and stress.
Life lesson learned… find the inspiration in the uninspired moments. Write something real, something different, not what’s trending.
Derra Nicole is a simple chick from SoCal who writes a lot of words, drinks a lot of lattes and listens to a lot of music. When She’s not writing a book, a blog post or tweeting her brilliant thoughts 😉, she’s creating endless memories with her family and friends. Connect with her on Twitter @derra_nic and visit her website at genuinelyderra.com.