Are you defined by your limitations?

I received a Spelling Bee award in Toastmasters. I love words. I love grammar. I love the correct use of grammar. I love filling the role of Grammarian at Toastmasters.

What the giver of the award didn’t know is that I was notorious in High school for my lack of spelling skills.

Gone are the days of white-out and typewriters. How grateful I am for backspace and a spell checker which hides my dirty little secret, at least most of the time. I’m not a great speller. But no one knows that. I love to words so much that I moved forward with a career in writing, in spite of my struggle with getting the letters in the right order. Some words that still mess me up. Commit. Two m’s and one t. Choose/chose. Carribean.

Bad spelling doesn’t keep me from writing. But I have to have a strong support system. I use Grammarly as the first line of defense. Sometimes the spell checker can’t figure out what I am trying to say, so I type the word in the google search. If I’m writing with a pen, I ask Google how to spell a word. Or my kids. Or my husband.

The worst thing you write today is better than the best thing you didn’t write yesterday.

Here’s the thing. If you want to do something, do it. Don’t let the noise between your two ears talk you out of what you love. There is a saying, “The worst thing you write today is better than the best thing you didn’t write yesterday.” I think that holds true for much more than writing. A girl, Mary K from Toastmasters, encouraged me to, “Drive, don’t ride,” when it comes to life.  What do you want to do? Don’t let doubt, fear or old tapes from your past run in your head.

I learned the way people see me and the way I see myself isn’t necessarily the same.  I never thought I’d win a spelling award. To me, that award means my limitations don’t define me. What do you want to do? What’s stopping you? What if you did it anyway?

2 Comments

  1. I remember always wanting to jettison my past, like it was a burned-out rocket engine holding me back. Your post says my past is a line in the sand. I can see just how far I’ve come. Nice. And LOVE the pictures!

  2. I think the dissonance between how people see us and who we really are is intensified by the internet. It is wonderful to overcome old labels, though. I, too was a terrible speller as a young person. I’m so thankful for Grammarly. Congratulations on your award!

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