Rewrite Your Narrative

Let’s face it: life sucks sometimes. If you just read that and reacted like this guy…

Read on because, like me, this post is for you!

See, the wheel of life has turned in such a crazy manner for me in the last three years, and hardly anything has gone like I had planned. In fact, I’ve had a great amount of difficulty with processing all that’s happened. So many ups and downs… But it always seemed like the “downs” plunged further than the “ups”, and each year felt like it ended worse than its predecessor.

Perhaps the most resounding example is that of the completion of my largest endeavor yet: the publishing of my very first novel. Now, it’s almost been a full year since Retribution, book one in The Redemptive Chronicles was first released. There have been many ups and downs since that day, and I’ll admit that the fantasy novel has not soared to success as I had expected. I am neither rich nor even successful from that work, and swallowing that bit of truth (and my pride…) has certainly taken a concentrated amount of effort. But, with the ruining of expectations come two choices: wallow and give up, or rise and face the looming giant that is disappointment.

There have been times that I have chosen the former (more than I care to admit), and most of those have been silent, internal struggles, but lately I have found a growing resolve to always elect the latter. You see, that moment when Retribution was first published was one that I never thought could be paralleled by any other worldly achievement. Yet it was trumped by the feeling of holding a physical copy in my hands for the first time. Even the elation that I felt then was later overwhelmed by the five-star readers favorite review that was posted just weeks later.

My point is this: each moment of joy felt better than the last. Even though I have not fully conquered my insecurities or the tendency to become greatly disappointed, I am learning that my triumph cannot be destroyed by any setback or letdown (and there have been plenty!), because I can look back with a proper perspective and see the truth. That is, I’m no doubt climbing a mountain, but that’s the whole point: I’m climbing, not falling or sliding down. It’s a gradual, step-by-step process that takes me higher, closer and closer to reaching the goal that lies at the top.

As you are reading this, I don’t know what mountain you might be facing in your life, but I wanted to give some reassurance, especially to those who keep it all in and hide their fears, failures and disappointments. I can assure you as one who is himself learning such a valuable lesson that, with the proper mindset, you will continually climb. So, even when someone or something tries to kick your feet out from under you, just remember this: onward and upward, never backward.

Copyright © 2018 D.M. Kurtz