{"id":497,"date":"2011-11-04T12:08:10","date_gmt":"2011-11-04T12:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/prayables\/?p=497"},"modified":"2011-11-04T12:08:10","modified_gmt":"2011-11-04T12:08:10","slug":"what-you-can-do-to-take-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayables\/2011\/11\/what-you-can-do-to-take-control.html","title":{"rendered":"What You Can Do to Take Control"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I started a writer\u2019s workshop in my area last night. It\u2019s actually the same writer\u2019s workshop I had started right before getting pregnant but then life smacked me around a bit and I was too busy changing diapers to worry about changing voice in a novel manuscript. Sure, I\u2019m a little black and blue but the bruises are healing and I\u2019ve decided to keep life from bullying me once and for all. I\u2019m ready to take charge.<\/p>\n

But if I just dusted off my hands and called it a day, I\u2019d know I\u2019d be lying to myself. The truth is, it\u2019s never been easy for me to take on something new and see it through to fruition. I\u2019ve often been known to be in the business of starting things but not necessarily finishing them. Volleyball camp sophomore year? Sweating and I don\u2019t get along. Working at Target for two days during college? Red really isn\u2019t my color. The blogging network I started several months ago? Um, managing stuff is hard.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t have the most perfect track record when it comes to sticking to things but I\u2019m willing to amend this, especially since it\u2019s a new year and Ava\u2019s quickly catching on to pretty much anything, even her father\u2019s wacky dancing. The poor, poor girl.<\/p>\n

But the point is I need to be willing to trust myself. I need to stop feeling like I can\u2019t handle the pressure, the responsibility of establishing something that could be incredibly important for our community. Our city is known for its incredibly high rates of illiteracy and if I turn a blind eye to that problem just because I\u2019d feel more comfortable lounging around in a pair of stained yoga pants than leading a writing workshop, then I\u2019m obviously a part of the problem, not the solution. Sometimes not trying to make a difference is a greater travesty than trying and failing.<\/p>\n

So no more hoping someone else will come along and take the reins. No more keeping my head down when my help is needed. I\u2019m going to do what I know I\u2019m spiritually and emotionally capable of and I\u2019m going to make a difference.<\/p>\n

First on the agenda: schedule dance lessons for my husband.<\/p>\n

Ericka Clay, Prayables
\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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\n<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I started a writer\u2019s workshop in my area last night. It\u2019s actually the same writer\u2019s workshop I had started right before getting pregnant but then life smacked me around a bit and I was too busy changing diapers to worry about changing voice in a novel manuscript. Sure, I\u2019m a little black and blue but…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":463,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[213,163,215,216,30,214,202],"class_list":["post-497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-inspirational-stories","tag-control","tag-ericka-clay","tag-handling-the-pressure","tag-how-to-control","tag-motivational-story","tag-praying-to-control-myself","tag-self-control"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat You Can Do to Take Control - Prayables<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayables\/2011\/11\/what-you-can-do-to-take-control.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What You Can Do to Take Control - Prayables\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I started a writer\u2019s workshop in my area last night. 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