Round 2: my second guest post on Retirement Reflections
This week I had the pleasure of being invited back to write a second guest post for Retirement Reflections. Donna has such an active, insightful following that I decided to pose a deep question, knowing that a lively discussion would ensue. I wasn’t disappointed.
It should be safe to say I am a writer. After all, I spend a lot of time writing. I write corporate communication pieces; I write a blog; I have written magazine and newspaper articles; I even wrote a novel.
So why do I hesitate to say I am a writer? It’s certainly not embarrassment about writing or a disrespect for the craft; I have a deep admiration for writers. In fact, that may be part of the problem. It feels presumptuous to put myself in the same category as respected writers. So as soon as I say, “I am a writer,” a voice pops into my head, “well, not a real writer.”
For my answer to the question “Why is it so hard to admit I am a writer?” and input from other writers, please visit my guest post on Retirement Reflections. While you’re there, look around. Donna is a talented writer herself and has a number of engaging guests.
***Your turn***
- Do you have difficulty acknowledging something that you do and love?
- If someone asked you what you do, and you couldn’t respond with your day job, what would you say?
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This post linked to the GRAND Social.
Hi, Christie – Thank you so much for returning as a Guest Host to my site. Your post is very thought-provoking and you are a very popular guest. I think that I am one of the few who loves saying that I am retired (perhaps a bit too gleefully) To me, that encompasses so many things.
To answer your second question above, if I could not say that I am retired, I guess I would say that I am a blogger, a hiker, a traveler, a yoga student, a researcher, a reader, a computer nerd, a photographer, a friend, an aunt, a daughter, a wife, a mother, a grandmother….until people begged me to quit and let me just say that I am retired! Thanks again for a terrific guest post!
I love your response to who you are. We are all so many things. Too often we get hung up on one or two of those things. I hope to embrace “retirement” as gleefully as you have and free up more time to be all the things I am outside of the office. I do love my job, but it’s not the only thing I love!
Thanks for introducing me to a new site — and I’m sure I”ll be challenged by your thoughts on the “w” word.
Thanks for stopping by Michele. I look forward to further conversations about writing and life.
I always hesitate to say I am a blogger. Since our blog is not very popular I guess I don’t feel I have the right to say I am a blogger.
You blog, so in my eyes you are a blogger! But I understand completely where you’re coming from. It’s a challenge I face as well.
Thought-provoking questions. I used to say I am reluctantly retired but after four years, I am beginning to dig this gig. I do work as a substitute librarian in the schools but haven’t had a job in over a month. What would I say I do? What would everyone else say I do? Hmmm.
My Prince Charming says that I am an artist. When I hear that, I feel the need to clarify with “not a real artist”. And I am not a real artist. Ha!! I am just artistic and kinda crafty and definitely a little eclectic.
I’m glad to hear you’re “digging the gig.” More time for the artistic, crafty, eclectic parts of you! I envy anyone with artistic skills.
What a wonderfully thought provoking question. I love these types of posts as they help to get me thinking in a different direction.
Thank you Elise. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Christie, I really enjoyed your post on Retirement Reflections and wrote a long (if belated) response there. My answer to the question, what do you do, is “I am a retired professor.” Yes, I understand that question to mean, what job do you do? I am hoping that someday I will be able to answer that question with: “I am retired professor and a writer.”
Jude
Thank you Jude. I will head over there to read your comment. I always enjoy your blog and definitely consider you a writer.