I was going to go about my day of blog posting in my usual self-depreciating manner. Let’s face it, I love messing with myself, and I give myself plenty of material with which to do so. But I just finished reading Judy Clement Wall’s post about being kind to yourself. She says amazing things on her blog, and today’s message hit home. “Truthfully, I’m amazed at how hard we are on ourselves, how quick we are to criticize, undermine, belittle and doubt. If we spoke to our friends the way we so willingly speak to ourselves, we’d be friendless.”
Wow. How true. I mean how many of you would return to my blog if I called you an unfocused flake? How about a freak? Does “loser” hurt your feelings? I call myself all of these things, and more. But not today. So instead of the post I was going to do about my hair and how ugly it is since I had it chopped to pieces, and how it looks like original daughter Becky from Roseanne who, in her last season, cut her hair so severe the ratings plummeted and they had to get themselves a new, prettier Becky for the remaining seasons (I don’t know the real reason, but come on, look at the hair), I will instead share with you what I did right. My floor.
Below are pictures of my finished concrete floor. There are no before pictures, but picture a stained, ratty carpet the color of oatmeal.
I love my floor. I love even more that I did it. And that the total cost of the project was $75.00 (not including another $75.00 for new baseboards because I managed to ruin the old ones—oops). Now, of course, I want the whole house done this way. I just don’t want to be the one to do it. It took a month for just one room. A month of neglected writing. So back to writing.
Another achievement I’d like to share is a story that is up at Slow Trains. It was my first attempt at non-humor (not my first non-humor published. I had written a couple after this one that went before it). It’s about a mistake in judgment and the very anti-thesis of Judy’s message. I’m not sure which I recommend first: reading about a pair down on themselves then getting rejuvenated by Judy, or filling up on love first to withstand the dismal dread of those who think they are unworthy. I wrote this 13 months ago, and I think I was PMSing—oops, there goes that self-back talk again. What I mean is I really like this story and I think it ends with a powerful message that everyone can benefit from, and I’m proud of myself for writing it and encouraged and validated that Slow Trains published it. Yay me.
What can you share that is wonderful about yourself or that you accomplished lately that you are proud of? Don’t forget to go to Judy’s blog at Zebra Sounds and do the assignment she asks of you. I know I will.
Tricia
Tricia Sutton's Blog 
Ah, so timely. I needed something just like this (and I love the floor – gorgeous). I’ll check out her post soon.
I finished the second draft of my WiP. I am very proud of that.
Nila~Congrats on finishing your 2nd draft. That is huge in my book.
I just went to your blog and I think you need Judy today. 🙂
Wow! Just read your short story, and it brought tears to my eyes. It is very well written, and packs a powerful punch.
You did wonderful work on your floor, its beautiful!
I am proud that I have kept writing on my blog these last couple of months, even though I was very afraid to put myself out there. I have had my moments where I thought to close up shop, listening to self deprecating horse crap, but I pushed through, and kept going. I like that I have the ability to do that…persevere in the face of adversity, even when the adversity is mainly caused by my self.
C. Fassett~Thank you. That you said it brought tears to your eyes brought tears to my eyes.
Keeping up a blog, especially initially when you don’t have many visitors, is challenging. This is my 101st post. If I weren’t being nice to myself today I’d say 101 posts in 26 months is hardly an achievement. Slacker. In almost 800 days, you only came up with 101 things to say?
But I’m nice today, today I will look at 101 as how many times I put myself out there for the world-wide web to adore me. ahem.
Congratulations on another publication! I’d read an earlier draft of course, but you did a nice job polishing it. 🙂
Good job finishing your floor. Was this the last of your remodeling projects?
Most of all, I want to encourage you to love yourself more. You are always too hard on yourself.
Linda~Thank you.
Remodel? It is not the last. I live in a money pit and won’t stop improvements until I move to an apartment, which sounds better every day.
But I will take a break to finish revising my book.
Okay…
1. I have to go yell at you on my blog. (Not really. Unlike you, I’m nice to you.)
2. Then I’m going to go read your story, because…
3. I finished a draft of my query letter. Woo hoo! I just sent it to the writer who said he’d read it knowing nothing about my book. So… now I’m feeling I can take some time and reward myself with a Tricia story.
4. Thank you for featuring me so prominently in this post. I’m going to preen when I finish all these other things.
Oops. I forgot to say it publicly. Crazy beautiful floor there, darlin’.
J~Thank you for: 1. not yelling at me 2. reading me 3. moving ahead in your path to publication 4. for being you 5. for publicly stating my floor is crazy beautiful
I should thank you. That story was beautiful. Sorry it took so long for me to come back and tell you.
J~Yeah, 2 hours is a long time to make me wait. 🙂
[…] a recent post over on this blog made me see the errors of my ways…or, rather, made me see there is another way: Self […]
Your floors look great! We actually scored, stained and sealed our concrete patio a few years ago… wasn’t brave enough to do the floors on the inside of the house – SHOWOFF!!!! Concerning your blog – well, let’s just say your floors look really great. 😉 Seriously, your blog is like therapy to me. If you stopped, I wouldn’t be a happy camper
!
Travis~That’s funny, because a few years back we hired out for our patio. I was in Whole Foods today and got very discouraged at how smooth, shiny, and absolutely perfect their concrete floor is. Made me wish I hired out for the indoor job too.
Therapy? My blog? And here all along I thought people sought therapy FROM reading my blog.
Great looking floor, Tricia! We all have days when we are extra hard on ourselves when we wouldn’t even imagine being that way to someone else. I’m glad you recognized some postive things instead of thinking about the negative.
I’m going now to check out your story…Thanks for sharing it. I love your work!
Laura~Thank you. And yeah, I need to remind/convince myself to treat myself kinder.
I love that you love my work. 🙂
This is not the first time that I’ve read one of your tales, and come away from it feeling like a fraud. I’d like to console myself with the thought that it’s not that you are much better writer than me, but that we merely have very different styles. I’d like to, but I can’t. No wonder you’re virtually omnipresent on on-line publications. Get that book finished: There’s a world out there gagging for it.
Tooty~I thank you from the bottom of my black heart for the flattering remark. For anyone to take time out of their busy day to read it at all is a great compliment, to like it is more than I could ever ask (besides, perhaps, a 3 book deal with a big publishing house).
And I am not a better writer than you. Your word choices and how you string them together has me thinking “genius” on many occassions. And that’s just your blog posts. Don’t even get me started on your hamster soap opera adventure tales.
I love your floors! Can you come and do mine?
Good reminder on being kind to ourselves. I hate it when I start kicking myself which I was doing yesterday. I get over it sooner now than I used to at least. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by by blog. How in the world did you find me? I think we might have been connected up on my old WP blog.
Rahma~Yes, it was your old blog that I subscribed to and then got notice of your new one. I love the cat angle on your new blog. It’s amazing how we can incorporate cats into everything and make it better, from wars to metaphors (I rhymed).
Glad to see you posting more often. I should follow your example.
I’m glad you found me again. See you around.
Wonderful post!
I love your floors and the fact that you did it yourself – I’m all about doing things yourself if you’re able to. But I get why you don’t want to do the rest of the house 😉
Loved your story too, and I think filling up with love by reading j’s posts and then reading the story was the good choice or I might just have given up on writing myself a love letter (which I’m procrastinating from by typing this comment instead of getting on with finishing said letter).
You said it wonderfully – stop the unkindness. What a great message 🙂
Estrella~Funny you mention procrastination. I too am finding excuses not to write that letter for J’s blog. It’s hard to do when all you’ve ever done is berate yourself. But I will; I just won’t be the first one on the dance floor. I must meditate complete mind control before I go out and shake my groove thing.
Thank you for reading my story. That, in itself, helps motivate me to believe in myself.
My pleasure entirely, I really like your blog!
And you should believe in yourself, Tricia, it’s one of the first steps towards stopping the unkindness.
I managed to beat procrastination and finished the love letter to myself yesterday – wasn’t easy, but I’m so glad I did it (j wrote hers too, so now you can’t use being the first one on the dance floor as an excuse) 😉
Looking forward to reading yours when you’re done with it!
Estrella~I just came back from reading your letter. Very moving and beautiful piece.
I finally posted something at J’s blog, which makes me the last person on the dance floor. Now everyone is asleep. 🙂
LOL That comment you made about Becky from Roseanne had me in fits of laughter. That is hilarious. And your hair does not look bad. You look good. But you’re right about the being hard on ourselves thing. It’s so easy to do.
Congrats on another publication! So awesome.
Kasie~worse is I cut it more since you last saw me. I decided I looked like Moe from 3 Stooges and did some layers. Now I just look like Moe with layers.
This post could have been written by me, for me. I found it because I am currently working on refinishing my concrete slab; about 1000 sq ft of concrete, by myself, with a hand grinder to polish. There’s been a lot of negative, self-depreciating talk. I was supposed to finish a novel-in-progress this summer but you know…So I think it is funny I stumbled on this with the concrete connection and all. Thanks!
Oh- and you wrote a novel about Okies!?! We just moved to Oklahoma last year (hence the massive remodeling) So many things in common…
ajcull, we so do have many things in common. I would love to see the outcome of your floors. Sorry it took so long to respond. I haven’t blogged in a few years and forgot my password and was too lazy to look where I wrote it. Today, in a fit of unlaziness, I found it. I re-read the whole post and got depressed by all the people I used to converse with and don’t anymore. I think I just ran out of things to say, which is remarkable since I’m always up to no good. 🙂
Thank you for commenting, and please, come back with pictures.