Rigama-Role Models

I was listening to an old journal entry just now. (Yes, listening. Sometimes I journal into a recorder while walking. It's fabulous!) Back in October '04, I realized that the people I admired most in my life were my work-style opposites.

There's nothing wrong with admiring folks. It's only natural that we are attracted to the strengths we lack. And yet, I was perpetually frustrated because, by nature, I could never emulate these people.

I am in awe of fast-paced, get 'er done, goal-oriented, extroverted, focused, highly functional, organized women. I am not one of them.

Since this understanding, I've been easier on myself. I've purposely reworked my mental "ideal." I've given myself room to be who I am. A paced person. A quiet person. Someone who can take a lo-o-o-o-ng time to complete something. Changeable and often sidetracked. A person who struggles with clutter and whose car interior always seems peppered with an assortment of books and coats and spoons. I even saw a razor in the side pocket yesterday. (No, it wasn't mine. But such is life with teenage daughters.)

Permission to be oneself is crucial for the writer and artist and creator! If you are modeling someone who is unlike you, there's a sense of never measuring up. Look for someone with whom you identify, someone who shares your style. And then be inspired rather than defeated.

Can you think of a creative person who has a similar set of strengths and weaknesses to yours? Make a list of what you admire in this person - and how you reflect these qualities in your own life. Write down ways this person manages her weaknesses and makes the most of her strengths. Pat yourself on the back when you find yourself ensconced in the glory of being yourself!