Going Against the Grain

Since the other pic was removed I just decided to
add in my own art...no steal!

Going against the grain.

Swimming against the current.

Disrupting the Status Quo.

There are many ways to say it, but it all means the same.

Doing something you normally wouldn't do, or that others normally wouldn't do.

Doing things differently because deep down YOU know it's what has to be done.

It's happening more and more within the book world. It amazing and the opportunity it presents to authors is great. But what about in your own lives?

I previously talked about how I disappeared from the blog for a while. Well there was a huge reason for it. And honestly it is changing my life and opening my eyes to a lot.

From January to May I was going through the process of preparing for and having weight loss surgery.

In Tijuana Mexico.

My weight had gotten too high and was teetering closer and closer to the 300's. This used to be something that was embarrassing to admit, but my attitude has since changed. My  insurance here does not cover weight loss surgery , although considering I haven't had any issues with my diabetes since surgery, you would think that they'd consider long term the effects it will have on health (and reduced health care costs). I also had a surgery that is not as widely known as the lap band or gastric bypass. I had the gastric sleeve.

Mexico was half the price it is here (I am coming completely out of pocket) and I found a great doctor with over 900 procedures like mine done (and I researched the heck out of him to ensure he didn't have tons of patients with complications...he didn't). Nonetheless, my family was going out of their minds at the thought of me going into another country for weight loss surgery. But I did it anyways. Family members were calling the days before begging me to cancel. I didn't. I knew I needed to do this.

That was about 2.5 months and 45 lbs ago. I'm still losing and my health has since greatly improved. No complications either. I did what had to be done.  Doing the surgery also seemed to pull me out of a slump I was hitting. Things had felt impossible. The weight I needed to lose was a huge mountain. My first draft was another. How the hell would I over come these? Am I really meant to be an author?

After surgery something snapped and after going through something like that (going into another country for surgery is a bit scary...hello Touristas anybody?) I feel like despite my fears of failure, despite the risks, sometimes it is worth it. In this case I had done my research on my doctor and the risk was worth it. I am getting to be a healthier more active person every day.

Finishing my draft, and going headlong into revisions is scary, not everyone may like my book...in fact I am sure of that because you cannot please everyone. But I am doing it because these are my dreams.

Follow your instinct, stick to what you feel is right for you.

Even if it goes against what you have been accustomed to or what you think you know.  Sometimes we get trapped into thinking life has to go this way. Writing isn't a real career, etc etc etc....

This post I suppose isn't just about following what you want to do, and writing, but following your heart and embracing life. I think sometimes we let previous beliefs or things we've been told hold us back, then later we regret not even trying.

Sometimes you just got to go against the current and blaze your own trail.