A skunk lives in my head. He has been there for years telling me lies.
“You are worthless. You can’t do anything right. Why are you even trying to write? Remember when your eight grade teacher laughed at your writing in front of the class? Remember when she mocked you? Well, she was right. You are just a stay-at-home mom. Big deal. You don’t get a paycheck. Why don’t you just quit homeschooling and get a real job. You won’t make any money writing.”
I have tried and tried and tried and tried and tried to get the skunk to shut up.
Nothing has worked to get rid of the skunk. Then I read a story my friend Kathleen Caron wrote a few days ago about how to get rid of skunks.
Remember, you have to EVACUATE and BLOCK. One without the other, and you will have either entombed, or itinerant skunks.
Kathleen Caron – How to get rid of skunks and other amazing things I learned this week.
Get rid of the skunk and then block it from coming back.
You do not want a skunk in your head. The skunk will keep you from dreaming. The skunk will keep you from writing your book. The skunk will keep you from washing your dishes and cleaning your basement.
Get the skunk out of your head.
The way to block the skunk from coming back under your porch is to fill the hole with gravel. Caution: Do not fill your head with gravel.
How to get the skunk out of your head:
EVACUATE
1.Do not agree with the skunk. When the skunk tells you that you are worthless, do not agree with him. Quick! Grab the ammonia and the rags. Shove the ammonia in the skunks face and tell him. No, YELL at him! “I am not worthless, you are a liar! I can do something right. I am a writer and I will write!”
2. Write down the lies. Get them out of your head and onto a piece of paper.
3. Do not listen to people who tell you lies. They are feeding the skunk in your head.
BLOCK
1. Fill your head with positive thoughts. Right after the skunk has run away from the ammonia, quickly block the hole with the truth.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Phillipians 4:8
2. Write down the truth next to the lie. Then take a red marker and cross out the lies.
3. Spend time with people who encourage you. Friends who support you and encourage you will not feed the skunk.
If you do not fill the hole with the truth, you have left a hole for the skunk to return to.
Get the skunk out of your head.
Dream your dreams and write your story. Paint your paintings and sing your songs. Keep the skunk out of your head. You have something to say that only you can say. Don’t let the skunk win.
Is there a skunk in your head that you need to evacuate and block? Please tell me in the comments, I would love to chat.
p.s. The skunk in my head was really loud yesterday. I didn’t write. I didn’t tell the skunk to shut up. I believed his lies. Today I yelled at him, and filled in the hole with the truth. The truth always wins.
Don’t quit.
