How to keep your New Year’s Resolution: Own it
It’s January! The new year is here and resolutions are in full effect. Last year was a particularly successful year for me. Amongst other resolutions I managed to keep, I finally published my first (three) children’s books. I’m trying to build on that momentum and make this year even better so I’ve put together a resolution survival guide.
Most resolutions involve change. It could mean doing something you’ve never done before; taking up a new hobby or it could be taking things to the next level; like putting yourself forward for a promotion or signing up for your first marathon.
Change can be daunting, even when it’s a positive change. However a lot of the time the scariest aspect is redefining ourselves after the commitment to the change.
If your objective is to get a promotion at work you could be confident in your ability to do the job at a higher level but you may worry about how this new position would effect your relationship with your peers.
For the last decade I’ve been known professionally as a Software Developer. Most of the people I interact with on a daily basis, professionally and socially, have no idea about my passion for writing.
When I decided to publish a series of children’s books I was genuinely worried about what people would think of this “sudden” interest in writing.
I wondered if I would be taken less seriously at work if people knew I was writing children’s books… After all, if I was going to write anything it should be something technical… I wondered if they would be supportive of my reasons…
I could go on about the doubts and insecurities — and I’m a confident, thick skinned kinda guy — but the long and short of it is that they were crippling.
What’s really crazy is that they had nothing to do with the books I was writing. I wasn’t at all worried that they wouldn’t be well received by anybody who read them. It was all a matter of imposter syndrome. Who am I to call myself a children’s author? What experience do I have to qualify me as such?
So how did I overcome the insecurity?
Just like they did with the books in question, my children inspired me.
Firstly, I decided to own the change.
I’d never been a dad before my first child was born but I’ve been a dad ever since (and you can’t tell me nothing about that). A new dad is still a dad; a new author is still an author.
As a software developer I am always prepared to demonstrate my competence. I don’t need to be the best/fastest coder in the room but I always know what I am bringing to the table and am able to communicate that.
Knowing my strengths and weaknesses in the profession made me feel more comfortable talking about them and as a result, myself as an author.
Secondly, I found a support framework; Programmers have StackOverflow, new parents have the NCT… No matter what you’re trying to do you are unlikely to be alone or the first to try it.
There was a moment when I wondered if my reasons for wanting to write were unfounded but a simple search reassured me that my efforts would not be in vain.
Lastly, I accepted the fact that some people may not be supportive and I would just have to deal with it. To quote a fellow author,
“Some people are friends for a reason, some for a season and others for a lifetime.”
So on that note, I’m going to own my new profession.
I’m Suhmayah Banda and I’m a children’s book author. I write to promote diversity in children’s literature for my kids and others. My first series, The Adventures of Tancho and Charlie, is available on Amazon now.