Tag Archives: Encouragement

The Power of Some

Conference_SpotDo you come away from conferences and retreats inspired, full of enthusiasm and ready to squeeze the very best out of your area of interest? Maybe it’s just me, but when people with a common focus gather, there’s something energising about it. And with a writers’ conference and creative retreat within a week of each other in October, and a writers festival and retreat in November, I’m feeling pretty excited.

So what is this power of ‘some’? From my perspective, I think it can be easy to feel isolated in certain aspects of a field of discipline, as if the challenges and frustrations faced in a given area of interest are ours alone. By sharing information, encouragement and the highs and lows of our everyday journeys, it can be refreshing to realise we’re not the only ones facing similar challenges.

Likewise, when we want to celebrate achievements, what better way to do it than with others who understand the steep, winding road it’s taken to reach our goal? There’s such a buzz around that kind of thing when shared with others who ‘get it’.

And then there’s the learning. I don’t know about you, but each time I find myself at an event focussing on a particular discipline, I also come away feeling resourced with new skills and insights. It doesn’t matter how long I’ve been in a particular field, there’s always more to learn, which certainly keeps things from getting mundane.

I’d love to hear the thoughts and experiences of others who’ve ‘gathered’ lately, and if you’ve not been on a power-of-some adventure recently, why not see if there’s an event of interest coming up. If it’s anything like the ones on my calendar, you’ll be pleased you made the effort to attend.

What an Amazing Adventure!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAToday our Write Life series guest is the delightful, hugely inspiring, and always encouraging Anusha Atukorala. Anusha is one of those people who brighten the world wherever they go, and even when life offers lemons, she not only makes lemonade, she drops in a couple of ice cubes and makes it sparkle. It’s an absolute pleasure to host her today and I’m looking forward to reading about her ‘write’ amazing adventure!

 

My “Write Life” has been a remarkable journey – not without its bumps and twists but also with a cartload of joy and fun thrown in. It has been one of deep fulfillment not because of the millions I have yet to earn! But due to the immense satisfaction derived from the writing process. So … what have I learnt during this exciting voyage?

First. About life. Writing has forced me to reflect on my journey and what it’s all about. It has been a teacher in its own right. Rather than having it all sorted out in my brain and then verbalising it – I find that the writing process helps me organise my thoughts and learn new lessons from life. Putting it down helps me know myself better. Interesting. Further, it has reinforced my life values. That of working hard, of persistence, of refusing to give up against the odds, of not expecting instant results, of being faithful.

During the past few years, I’ve been challenged by my own writing – like an injection which turns back on the nurse administering it, to pierce her own skin instead, (ouch)! Or like a boomerang that returns to bop one on the head. I’ve often blogged, confident I was living true to what I’d written about. However, no sooner was my blog published than I’d be urgently challenged. If I’d written about forgiveness, there’d come a difficult person to trip me up. If I wrote about trusting God – there’d arrive a tough scenario where trusting didn’t come easy. Writing has forced me to own responsibility over my life and my actions. It has also shown me that just like my writing, I am still a work in progress.

And then, I’ve learnt the value of doing what’s important in life – not pleasing others or doing what brings outward reward – but doing what feeds my spirit and honours God. I’ve discovered that there is an important common thread in fiction and in real life. The depth of a good story is often the element of mystery in it. ‘Things are not what they seem.’ Life is much the same. Things are not what they seem. What happens to us and to those we love might seem meaningless. It may look as if evil is triumphing over goodness.

Ah! But there is hope. We are all part of the one amazing story of God. All will be revealed at the grand ending to our story. Till then – we can but hold onto the handlebars and enjoy the ride – perhaps screaming all the way, like relishing a Disneyworld adventure ride. The end will be worth it. So yes, my “Write Life” has been an exciting, fulfilling one – not without its challenges – but it has helped me know myself and to know what it is to be human. To grow in character through the power of words and to reach out gladly in the process so I can touch and bless my world.

Tied in Pink_JennyAnusha Atukorala has been in love with the English all her life. She’s also passionate about Jesus, life, family, friendship, reading, writing, music and the beauty of creation. Her first book ‘Enjoying the Journey‘ contains 75 stories of little lessons from everyday life. Her latest accomplishment is her first fiction story to be published in an Anthology called ‘Tied in Pink’ launched just yesterday – raising money for breast cancer research. (Follow links to find out more or purchase a copy.) Do drop in at her website, Dancing in the Rain, to say G’day – she’d love to connect with you.

Goosing Around

During a recent training session, a work colleague spoke of applying the three key principles from popular business book Gung Ho! by Ken Blanchard & Sheldon Bowles. She explained each principle, including the ‘Gift of the Goose’, which likened the honking of geese in flight to a ‘you can do it’ type of encouragement.

I thought this was a great model.

Encouragement. How much we need it on life’s long journeys.

At a recent writer’s conference I attended, one speaker* provided her session attendees an elegant sheet of paper so they could write an encouraging note to someone at the conference. This opportunity was a valuable reminder that encouragement doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does involve action. If you’re anything like me, all too often we think ‘I’ll do that later’, but never do.

I consider myself a fairly encouraging person, but when a member of my husband’s family recently passed away, I recognised how easily such moments can slip by. This particular relative had relocated some years previous, and for various reasons had become quite isolated. With great sadness I remembered many well intended thoughts of calling or sending a note of thanks and encouragement for their thoughtfulness. I seldom got beyond purchasing the card or digging out their address.

I’m not aiming for a guilt trip, but I identify the immense value of encouragement in my life. If you’re a Twitter or Facebook follower, you’d know that at that writer’s conference I received a CALEB Prize for an unpublished YA manuscript. As one of the prize recipients I was excited, honoured, humbled and overwhelmed all at once. Yet that moment also belonged to many others – family, friends, writing group members and colleagues – who have offered consistent support and encouragement over the years, believing in me even when my own confidence failed.

But perhaps those closest to us, the ones who make such generous allowances for our hectic lifestyles and busyness, can become the easiest to overlook when it comes to returning encouragement.

A close friend once said that if she could convert every thought she had for me into a letter or phone call, I’d hear from her almost every day. I believe that encouragement is a little like that – but often it doesn’t get beyond the thought. Maybe if we exercise our ‘goose gift’ we can more readily convert our good intentions into a honk of support!

*Anusha Atukorala