I did it!!!
I'm a second degree black belt! A Nidan in Shaolin Kempo Karate! Aside from feeling sore and utterly exhausted, I feel FANTASTIC! (which looks something like this:)
Not really, but something like. Shiny, shiny, shiny!
So what have I learned from this experience that can be applied to writing?
1. Decide to do it. Then sit down (or stand up) and do it. End of excuses.
2. Once you decide, believe it or not, the universe moves to allow you to succeed.
3. It isn't easy, but even the pain along the way is totally worth it.
4. Rejections or delays are just one more thing to weather on your way to success. They are not stop signs.
5. There is no way around "bird by bird" -- one word at a time, one punch at a time.
6. While your friends and family will be cheering you on, the only one who can do this is Y-O-U.
7. There is nothing quite like the feeling of "I did this."