Playing Big and Playing Small
Happy Sunday!
I love this image shot by George Caddy in the 1930s on Bondi Beach. It’s a local gymnastics club doing Beach-obatics. Doesn’t it make you LOVE Australians?? Me too.
It makes me think about playing big and playing small. I’ve been considering it a lot lately, because if you’ve been following along, you know that I’m launching my debut novel in March.
This means I can celebrate! I achieved a dream I’ve had since I was a little girl. (By the way, my book is beautiful inside and out! Penguin did such an incredible job of the design. Here’s a sneak peek of the internal pages while I was editing a few months ago…)
It also means that everyone is allowed to have a public opinion of my work. Some people will love my book. Some won’t. Some may make valid points about what I could have done better. Some people may just be unkind. And it will all happen in public, for everyone to see and comment on.
Can you imagine that? Getting a 3-star rating when you speak at a meeting? Getting 5-stars for your dinner party, or 2-stars for your parenting? And it’s out there, in public?? Whew!
But my feeling is this: I’m a beginner, and I’m doing the best I can. So here’s what I’m learning in my fifties, my friends! It’s time to grow and let my life get bigger. It’s scary, but it’s also time. Just asking…is it time for you to get bigger, too?
Are you with me? Let’s not apologise for the size of anything.
Our bodies.
Our needs.
Our dreams.
Our attempts, which are definitely not going to be perfect.
This year, let’s not spend a single second being quiet so we don’t irritate people. Let’s not match the size of our lives to the size of someone else’s expectations of us.
And even if there’s criticism (especially when there’s criticism!), let’s keep going.
Let’s continue to shine.
Enjoy your weekend, and be fun to live with!
Love Catherine x
PS.
LOVE LIE REPEAT is out 5 March and available for pre-order! (Pre-orders help so much…they tell a publisher how popular a book will be!) In Australia, ask your local bookshop — my favourite is Beachside Bookshop in Avalon or online at Booktopia or Readings or Dymocks. Rest of the world, use Book Depository for free worldwide shipping. Thank you, thank you! I appreciate having you cheer me on…
