Tag Archives: anxiety

Perfectionism, The God of Destruction

I never understood before. As a writer, I’ve always been comfortable with drafting and revising and getting shit down on the page, trusting that with a lot of hard work and a fairy sprinkle of luck, it may become worthwhile. So when students and fellow writers came to me and said, “But I have toContinue reading “Perfectionism, The God of Destruction”

The Pros and Cons of Exhaustion

I just finished another short story, which I’ll be sending the submission rounds next week. Thursday nights I volunteer in a nearly three-hour ESL class. I work part-time, and I am taking three classes this quarter. Count them. Three. My fiancé and I are also busy wedding planning. And sometimes there’s time leftover to cleanContinue reading “The Pros and Cons of Exhaustion”

The Dangers of Negative Self-Talk

I like to think I’m a basically positive person. I can be annoyingly so when friends and loved ones bring problems and frustrations to me. “So what would help with that?” I’ll ask. I like to focus on actions–either physical or cognitive–that have a chance of improving the situation. So I was astonished this morningContinue reading “The Dangers of Negative Self-Talk”

Why I Didn’t Play with Girls

When I was in kindergarten, my mom scheduled playdates to force me to socialize with other girls. My female playmates demanded compliments, played dolls with squeaky-high voices, and staged beauty pageants and dress-up games. Before the age of seven, they were checking themselves out in mirrors and fluffing their hair, just like their mothers. Within five minutes, IContinue reading “Why I Didn’t Play with Girls”

Fear of the Unknown

I’m not sure I understand writer’s block. A student came to me asking how she could overcome her anxiety about writing. She said she was afraid that she would write her essay, and it wouldn’t be perfect. “Okay,” I said. “So it’s not perfect. Look–I find it helpful to imagine the very worst thing thatContinue reading “Fear of the Unknown”

Take a Moment to Reflect, Macbeth

We all get ahead of ourselves sometimes. And Macbeth most of all, the renowned literary critic Harold Bloom argues in his essay on Shakespeare’s play. It’s his imagination that’s at fault, Bloom writes, turning him into “an overanxious actor always missing his cues.” As soon as he imagines something, he’s already there–unable to exist inContinue reading “Take a Moment to Reflect, Macbeth”