I knew it was coming. I wasn’t worried. Was looking forward to it. But here it is March 1st, and I’m wondering. Could I just have one more day? I’m not quite ready.
Starting my third year of the daily Slice of Life Challenge with Two Writing Teachers is scary. Scarier than year one, when I had no idea. Scarier than year two, when I thought I knew how it went. I want to say, I’ve got this, but I don’t. I think back and whoa! How did I do that? Can I do it again? Am I good enough?
I have been teaching for a while. I know how it goes. But as the years go by I question myself. The more I know, the more I doubt. I want to say, I’ve got this, but I don’t. I think back and whoa! How did I do that? Can I do it again? Am I good enough?
Every day I’ll face the computer or the classroom thinking, I’m not quite ready. If I just had one more day, one more hour. If I had just prepped a little more, thought this through. If I just had more time.
The bottom line is — this is the time, and I bring to the party what I got. Another week, day or hour to get ready will just beg for more knowledge, more time. What I do when I meet the page, the student is it. That is where the action lies. Tomorrow, I’ll have more than today, and I might feel like I’m not ready. But I go with what I got. With knowledge of the day before. As good as ready can be.
For better or worse, here I go. Slicing. Teaching. Day by day. I’m meeting the moment with my hopes, heart, and words. Excited, anxious to see what each day brings.
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers for the opportunity to contribute daily to a supportive writing community.
Happy March Slice of Life Challenge 2016. Day one.
Read more slices here.
To Read To Write To Be 
I have been teaching for a while. I know how it goes. But as the years go by I question myself. The more I know, the more I doubt. I want to say, I’ve got this, but I don’t. I think back and whoa! How did I do that? Can I do it again? Am I good enough?
And that’s your secret- that’s why your writing is so compelling- you don’t take yourself too seriously. You are always asking the right questions and demanding so much. I’m so glad you found Two Writing Teachers 3 years ago. I know you so well just from what you are willing to put down on the page.
YES, we begin March once again, together. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your feelings so honestly. I think our nerves show how much we care, don’t you?
Great slice and a wonderful pep talk for the beginning of the challenge. I can totally relate to wishing for more time, more preparation, etc. I love this line: “The bottom line is — this is the time, and I bring to the party what I got.”
Julieanne, I feel EXACTLY the same way. I love how you are able to put into words my feelings for me!!! “Scarier than year one, when I had no idea. Scarier than year two…” YES! Meeting the moment with an open heart will always serve you well. I’m glad to be on this journey with you my friend!
Yes. You come to the party with what you got. You can’t be anything else. I happen to know you come to the party with everything you need and more. Can’t wait to read your thinking. xo
Your post ties in perfect with the quote on the TWT link up page today, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” No matter how much more time we want, it’s best to just do it. Happy Slicing!
I so agree. The more years I teach, the more I wish I knew. My favorite part of your SOL is: But I go with what I got. With knowledge of the day before. As good as ready can be. Thanks for the motivation through your words today! Off I go as I really am as good as ready can be! And I have knowledge to offer, so I’m going with that!! So looking forward to 30 more days of inspiration from YOU!!
This is so very real. Happy Day One! Here’s to the journey we will take together. Don’t forget we are a community. We hold each other up. You got this!
There are so many lines I can grab on to and relate to in your post. Love your reflective thinking. Your post reminds me of Maya Angelou “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
You DO have this! And I’m the lucky one because I get to learn from your posts. This is a party of words that lasts all month long. We will discover the joy all month long.
After all this time, I still question, too, Julieanne, wondering if the writing is okay. I’ve loved all that you’ve shared all these years, and that you do question and wonder. That’s what makes living (and teaching) so great, to question and try and question again.
“Tomorrow I’ll have more than today.” Yes! Wise words to stretch us from the fear place! I am so happy to see here that long term slicers are still fearful. Because whoa, I’m thinking one done, 30 to go! Yikes! Love this post. It is very comforting to me.
You have a way with words Julieanne. I didn’t realize we started slicing the same year. (I am not officially participating this time for a variety of reasons and am a little conflicted about that… hoping to do lots of reading and commenting though.)
I love this – “I’m meeting the moment with my hopes, heart, and words.” I think this will be my 2016 slicing mantra.
I love this, because it says so much about you and why we are friends:
For better or worse, here I go. Slicing. Teaching. Day by day. I’m meeting the moment with my hopes, heart, and words. Excited, anxious to see what each day brings.
You state all of our fears, worries, doubts so eloquently. I’m in year six, and I still wonder … Will I have anything worth sharing? Will it be worth reading? What if …? But we are here, at the party, ready to share our words with the world! We can and we will do this!
“How did I do this? Can I do it again?” Every time I sit down to the blank page, there it is. I think it’s why I love teaching and writing so much. Just because it worked yesterday doesn’t mean it’s going to work today–and that tension and that space is where the learning is. We jump in. And we trust. That’s the hard part for me every time. Trust. Love this piece.
We learn and grow buy doing not by merely planning and getting ready. Your honesty speaks of your reflective mind. My favorite line from your slice today: “I’m meeting the moment with my hopes, heart, and word.”
“Meeting the moment.” boy do I need that piece of advice. You so can do this, we can do this. Your feelings resonate with me as ideas run through my head and get rejected for not being good enough. Sigh. The struggle is real. Happy slicing this month. I look forward to meeting you at the moment. 🙂
I agree with Stacie – we only feel this way about the things we care deeply about. Writing is about the process – and you are clearly ready for that. I believe teaching is much the same…maybe that is why you are connecting them Good news is with both we always have the opportunity to revise!
Thanks
Clare
Julieanne,
Here’s to three years of challenges together! The nerves, the anxiety, the successes and the good, the bad and the ugly! Learning as we go! That’s life. You are so right that we go with what we have got! That’s it! It is what it is! 🙂
These 2 lines meant so much to me when I read them: “I’m meeting the moment with my hopes, heart, and words. Excited, anxious to see what each day brings.” That’s how we should all face our days. Thanks for a lovely post.