God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Iyanla Vanzant

Yesterday I had a very humbling experience.
I attended a writing conference and found myself in the presence of highly intellectual people - a medical doctor, a PhD, a magazine writer, an ex CEO of a major investment company, and a screen play writer, to name a few. Hearing these people's credentials and listening to what their manuscripts were about, I felt like a fish out of water.
With each speaker, I could feel my confidence slipping away as I questioned why I was even there. I had chosen to come to explore my writing rather than going to Atlanta to the O magazine day. With each hour that passed, I believed I had made the wrong choice. I questioned whether I could come close to what these people were talking about and writing. I felt my manuscript was so insignificant compared to theirs. Needless to say, I couldn't wait for the lunch break to get outside to breathe again.
I walked around the city not thinking about the conference or the people that were there. I allowed myself to blend into the masses of people because I needed to hide. I needed time to find me without standing out so I could build my strength again. It took all I had to walk back into the conference but I did. I sat through the afternoon and really listened to the critiques that were given, wrote notes on any tips I felt could help me, then came back to the hotel.
I watched the Joy segment of the Oprah webcasts. A woman who was struggling to write came on and asked how she could get out of her own way to start writing. Iyanla Vanzant told the woman she already was a writer because all she had to do was to pick up a pencil and paper and start writing. She also told the woman that she was lying to herself because she obviously did not want to be just a writer but a famous writer. She asked the woman to ask herself what had she attached to her writing. The woman acknowledged she did want to become a famous writer.
Iyanla told the woman she had to write what resonated with her, not what she thought would be a best seller. An Aha moment hit me so squarely in my face as I realized I was being sent a message from a Higher Power. My insecurity today came from thinking I needed to write about things that were far more intellectual rather than writing about what feels good and right for me. I got such joy from watching Iyanla come into her own because she was being her authentic self. I was filled with inspiration and went back and rewrote my book summary because as Iyanla said," God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things."
And that's what resonated with me, I am being used by a Higher Power to write from my heart and if someone else wants to join me on this journey, that's a bonus. I was infused with confidence again because I know I should not place any attachments on my writing. All I need to do is write. And write I will. It may turn out not to be my life calling to be a number one bestselling author but I will continue to write and share as long as it feels good to me.
So what I learned yesterday by being so intimidated in my writing group is that as long as we place attachments to whatever it is we really want to do, all we are doing is limiting our possibilities by allowing ego to stand in our way. So I am going to try to not let ego prevent me from enjoying what I do and as Nike used to say, “Just do it.”