Conversations With My Inner Critic #1

- You’re never gonna do it.

- Never gonna do what?

- Write that book you want to.

- Oh. Why not?

- You’re not good enough.

- Why am I not good enough?

- You don’t write everyday.

- I don’t write everyday?

- No. You just sit there, thinking it all up inside your head, but you never get it down on paper.

- I see. And that means I won't be good enough to write a book?

- No. Yes. Yes, it means that no, you won’t be good enough.

- Okay. So what do you propose I do, then?

- Write something else?

- Something else?

- Yes. Something better.

- But how can it be better if I don’t write at all?

- You just gotta change.

- Change?

- Yes.

- Change how?

- Change into a better person.

- Someone else than I already am?

- Yes.

- But I can’t do that.

- But you have to.

- But that’s impossible. I am me. I will never be anything else.

- But you could try.

- You know, I did. Remember?

- I suppose.

- Remember how that went?

- You got depressed and ended up hating yourself, and thinking everyone else hated you too.

- Exactly.

- So don’t change then.

- I don’t think I want to.

- But you gotta be better!

- Why do I gotta be better? I’m just fine the way I am. I’m not a worse person for not writing what you think I should write.

- You’re not?

- No. Just the opposite, in fact.

- How so?

- I am unique. We both are. And I think we’re better off co-operating with each other, rather than sabotaging each other. Don’t you?

- But -

- Yes?

- I - I feel like - like we should be -

- Running away?

- Well - sort of.

- Running away from the fear and the pressure we’re putting on ourselves?

- Yes.

- Reacting to that fear as if it was a universal truth, and we had no choice but to obey it?

- Yes.

- I get it. I understand why you feel that way. I just - I suppose we’ve been running away for a while.

- Well, we have.

- We have. And it hasn’t been so cool, has it?

- I guess not.

- No. And since I don’t wanna run away - do you?

- I guess not.

- Perhaps we should try - staying put? Sitting in a little?

- Feeling the feelings?

- Feeling the feelings.

- I suppose you’re right.

- Are you scared?

- I - yes.

- I know. It’s all right. You don’t have to be alone anymore.

- I don’t?

- No. Imma sit with you now. From now on.

- Oh. That - it’s -

- Weird?

- Feels - awkward.

- I get it.

- Yeah. I guess you do.

- It’s not a problem.

- What isn’t?

- You being afraid. It’s not a problem.

- It’s not?

- No. You can be scared. I’ll be here.

- But -

- Yes?

- I - I don’t know how to handle that.

- It’s okay. We’ll figure it out.

- We will?

- Yes.

- And you won’t be mad?

- I won’t.

- But -

- Yes?

- You always get mad.

- I know. But I won’t anymore. Getting mad never helped us.

- No. It didn’t.

- I can tell you’re mad about that.

- I’m bitter.

- You’re allowed to be bitter.

- I am?

- Yes.

- Oh. I don’t - I don’t want to be bitter.

- I know.

- So - what do I do now?

- Allow yourself to be bitter.

- I - uhm, okay.

- You feeling it?

- Yes.

- Is it a good feeling?

- No.

- What is it doing to you?

- It’s making me tense. Stressed. Activated.

- So I see. What else?

- Scared. Sad. Angry. Frustrated.

- Good. Keep going.

- I wanna - I wanna cry.

- You can cry.

- *cries*

- There you are.

- I don’t - I -

- You don’t have to explain yourself. Be at ease.

- *Sobs*

- It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.

- You think so?

- I believe so. With the depts of my being.

- You’re so eloquent.

- I know. It’s a hazard.

- *chuckles*

- We’re gonna be alright, you know.

- We are?

- Yes. We are.

- And you know this?

- Of course I don’t. But I refuse to think otherwise.

- Because it’s self-defeat?

- Because if we give up before we’ve even started, we’ll never get anywhere.

- I suppose that’s true.

- I believe so.

- So now what?

- What do you wanna do?

- I kinda wanna - keep writing.

- Good. Let’s go do that then.

- Even with the fear?

- «Write scared.»

- Write scared?

- It’s a saying in the writing community.

- Oh. I didn’t know that.

- You didn’t?

- No.

.- Hm. I was so sure you knew.

- I didn’t.

- That’s my mistake. Perhaps I put too much pressure on you, too.

- You think?

- You feel that I do?

- Sometimes.

- I don’t mean to.

- I know you don’t.

- It’s hard to be human, isn’t it.

- It’s no game for wusses, that’s for sure.

- But we’re not, are we?

- Have you ever felt like a wuss?

- No.

- Me neither.

- See? We’re better at this than we think.

- Are we?

- I think so.

- Maybe we are.

- I definitely think we are.

- So - we try to write now?

- I believe so.

- What do we write?

- What do we need to write?

- I - I don’t know.

- So maybe first we figure out what’s on our minds, then.

- Maybe.

- What do you feel like writing?

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