By Tina Yeager
A fellow writer recently asked about my mountain climbing. Another Tina
Yeager conquered Mount Everest.
With a flap of my sagging triceps, I laughed. “See? Not the mountain
climber.”
My hiking achievements consist of driving to tourist stops within
fifteen-minutes’ walk to the altitude sign. Sensitivity to slight chills would exclude
me from Himalayan camping.
I later realized how untrue my words had
been. Not just for me, but all writers.
Authors face a Himalayan task. We begin at a heart-freezing
base camp, far from our comfort zones. Impossible odds loom. Our legs buckle on
this quest to share soul-treasures. Each step exposes us to brutal elements of rejection
and failure.
The emotional nature of writing leaves us raw.
In our vulnerability, discouragement can defeat us. Yet we can equip ourselves
to overcome the impossible and pursue our dreams.
With proper tools, even a wimpy writer like
me can conquer this epic mountain and fulfill her powerful identity. For creative
survival, I must include self-care, climbing gear, and a team.
To thrive as mountain-conquering writers, we
must outfit our minds, bodies, and souls. The brain and body require rest, so
let’s not hurry our demise by insisting we’ll “sleep when we’re dead.” Creativity
also feeds upon proper hydration, omega-rich foods, and refreshment from
reading other’s word-craft. We bless our art with daydreams and play, taking
breaks to sharpen our tools when needed.
My headlamp and ropes have often saved me
from tumbling off this mountain. I need the light of purpose to shine into the
dark spaces of my journey. Mindfulness of my “why” encourages me to persevere
through murky, oppressive moments. The view serves as a powerful anchor on this
treacherous climb. Those in the valley need the hope of my words. And those in
base camp need me to rise high enough for my motivation to provide leverage for
their dreams.
I’ve also relied upon Sherpa-authors who’ve set
ropes to pull me upward or keep me from slipping. Healthy community with encouraging
fellow writers has proven vital. We cheer one another on when hope would
otherwise crumble. When one of us succeeds, we all gain footing toward higher
ground.
In the shadow of this ominous peak, our bones
plead to give up. We could hole up in a cave on the side of this cliff and
refuse to complete the climb. If our lives were the only ones depending upon
the journey, perseverance wouldn’t be worth the trouble. But there are others
beside us and further down the slope who need our voices, our continued pull on
the ropes, and our willingness to keep climbing. Their journey depends upon our
next steps. For love of these partners and upcoming authors, we can move onward
in spite of the temptation to quit.
We writers are true mountain climbers. If we
take up our tools to overcome discouragement, our hard-won story journeys will
inspire generations to fulfill their dreams.
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An
award-winning author, inspirational speaker, and life coach, Tina Yeager also hosts
the Flourish-Meant podcast and publishes Inkspirations Online, a weekly devotional for writers. She has won thirty
writing awards, including 2013 FCWC Writer of the Year, and mentors four
chapters of Word Weavers International. Her fiction and nonfiction strives to
clarify how we might relate better to others, to ourselves, and to God. Licensed
as a counselor since 2005, she has over twenty years of experience teaching
adults, teens, and children in academic, clinical, and faith-based settings. Tina
enjoys working with diverse populations and has practiced in community mental
health settings and private practice since 2000. She specializes in ADHD, stress
management, abuse recovery, and esteem-building, and currently runs an online
life coaching practice, Divine Encouragement, LLC. Yeager is a member of the
American Association of Christian Counselors and holds a BA in creative writing
and an MA in counseling. Yeager is a member of the Serious Writer team, which
hosts nationwide conferences and boot camps. Her Psyched Characters and Kindle
your Creative Spark courses are available online at the Serious Writer Academy.
Come visit her for a virtual cup of java online. For life coaching tips or to
book her as an event speaker, check out tinayeager.com. Beautiful Warrior: Finding Victory over the Lies Formed
Against You helps women identify and fulfill their potential as they discover
Christ-centered significance. Available
for order now, Beautiful Warrior
is offered by New Hope Publishers (https://www.newhopepublishers.com/shop/beautiful-warrior/). Tina adores embracing new friends, so feel free to offer
hugs to her avatars at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tina.yeager.9, Twitter https://twitter.com/tyeagerwrites, Instagram tina.yeager.9, Goodreads, and Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/tyeagerwrites.
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