A Single Footstep

A friend gave me a quote a few weeks ago that I immediately put on my inspiration board. (This is a bulletin board with quotes, pictures, and memorabilia that will hopefully spark a visit from The Muse.) The quote says: “A single footstep will not make a path on earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kinds of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” This is something I need to remember because it is true. Whenever I get into a negative frame of mind, and bombard myself with the idea that I am not a good enough writer then, naturally, I have writer’s block. Something snaps me out of that way of thinking and I realize…Of course I’m not—YET—but I’m just getting started! Then the ideas begin flowing and I feel ready to tackle this hard, wonderful job once more. I feel joy in writing—whether it’s pounding away on my work-in-progress or making up a story for my grandchildren. A fellow writer said to me the other day that she thought that one of the hardest things we have to learn is what to internalize and what to ignore. Rejection letters or criticism can be valuable if they’re meant constructively or even if they're not. They can demoralize us or challenge us. It’s up to us to decide. After taking a hard (calm) look at the situation, then we can decide how (or if) we can use it to improve. Making a positive path is my goal. Here’s how it looks in my imagination: It has lots of interesting bends and curves, is lined with big ol’ trees, and is floored with fragrant pine needles. Right now, the leaves are changing, some whirling down delightfully, catching my eye. It’s cool and misty, promoting a sense of intrigue. I’m ambling along, kicking those negative thoughts out of the way like so much litter and collecting the optimistic ones in my Sweetgrass basket! I’d love to hear from others. Favorite quotes about staying positive, ideas to spark creativity, whatever!