#OBTChallenge Day 12

My new goal on the blog for a while is to post one “bright thing” most days. (The original goal was every day, but it now seems like several times a week is more reasonable. 😉 ) This can be a tough time of year for those of us, like me, who struggle with anxiety and depression, and I’m finding it helpful – at least for me – to counteract that by putting out some good energy.

This afternoon I’m teaching the first session of a new class at our local community college. The class, “Storytelling and Sound,” explores ways that music can inspire and support the creative writing progress. I’ve never taught anything like it before, and I think balancing the writing side with the music side will be interesting and challenging.

The class has been on the college’s calendar for three semesters now, but this is the first time it’s run. I was starting to think it never would, and in fact that proposing it was a mistake. I’m glad I get the chance to try it out. At the same time, anxiety – as usual – is telling me I’ll be lucky to make it work.

Anxiety likes to tell me many times a day that I can’t do things. It’s a drag, but on the other hand, those messages have repeated themselves so often, and made no difference whatsoever, that I’m starting to get better at ignoring the internal bully. It says, “You’re going to crash and burn!” and I say, “Thanks for the comment,” and get on with things.

This morning I went for a walk in a nearby parcel of woods. I took this picture because I like the idea of the somewhat-hidden path: we don’t always know what’s ahead, but get on with things every day, one step at a time. And in any moment, that one step is all we have to take care of.

As always, thanks for visiting, and stop back again soon. If you like what you see here, please share! Also think about posting your own bright thing somewhere on social media today. It could be a photo, a drawing, a poem, some music: anything that makes you smile and puts some light out in the world. Bonus points if it’s something you create yourself. 🙂

If you post your OBT on Facebook or Twitter, you can tag me (@kfaatz925 on Twitter) and use the hashtag #OBTChallenge. I’d love to see what you share! If you’re not on social media but would like to share something with me to post, crediting you of course, please email me at kfaatz925@gmail.com.