As soon as the pastor said, "you are dismissed," I felt my stomach sink to my ankles. Time for the show.
This Sunday was my very first class at the Skillery. When I drafted the class, put it online and started selling tickets, I was thrilled! But then, Sunday afternoon, staring at 18 empty chairs that were about to be filled with adults, real writers... I started to back pedal. Wait a second. Who am I to be teaching other people about how to pitch stories? I've only been doing this for a year!
empty chairs.
But that's the beauty of The Skillery. That's the beauty of Nashville. That's the beauty of writing. I am no expert (and I probably never will be) but that doesn't mean I don't have something to share. So I shared. (I also brought cookies and coffee, and I'm sure that didn't hurt.)
chairs full of writers.
The same is true for you: you have something to share. If you just heard a little voice inside your head say "no I don't," then you need to tell it to shut up, because yes you do. You have something to share. In fact, how dare you keep it all to yourself! The hard part is having the courage to share it, and the faith to believe that someone else will listen. But trust me—they will.
So I dare you to have a stomach dropping moment of your own. A "who am I" moment of your own. Why not?