I was sitting on a Zoom call with 20 classmates and our instructor.
Nervous.
Tired.
Self-conscious about my work.
I was about to hear my most personal writing
discussed and dissected.
I almost didn’t show up.
I had already written the instructor
with a good excuse.
It would have been easy to back out.
Protect myself.
But I logged on.
And took the risk.
I’m taking a memoir writing class
at the University of Washington.
I had just turned in my first 2,000-word scene.
Seven drafts.
I wanted it to look right.
I spent the last twenty years of my career
reading, writing, and reviewing business proposals.
None of that matters here.
It’s been a while
since I was a beginner.
This is different.
This is me.
This is real.
And I’m in the deep end.
Last year, I wrote in this newsletter
about a young boy diving into Barton Springs Pool in Austin.
He summoned all his courage
before jumping into the 68-degree water.
When he came back to the edge, beaming,
he told his mom, “First I was nervous, then I was brave.”
That was me.
In real time.
My heart pounded.
I tried to keep it together.
I used positive self-talk to calm myself.
Put on my best smile.
And hoped they’d be kind.
The first person spoke.
They said they were moved.
Another commented on the rhythm.
A third said they understood
what I was trying to do with the structure.
I expected judgment.
What I got was understanding.
They talked about how it felt—
how they felt.
As I read their writing,
I see the same threads.
Childhood.
Relationships.
Work.
Goals.
Confusion.
The sense of living two lives.
Different stories.
And the same questions.
No one’s competing.
No one’s keeping score.
Everyone’s just… showing up.
Staying in it.
And on this night,
that’s enough.
I ended with a quiet thank you.
And stayed in the room
for the next person.
In the deep end with them.
— Mark Wigginton
Midlife Guide | Next Chapter Navigator
📬 MarkW@FocusingOnResults.com
🌐 www.focusingonresults.com
🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn
P.S. If this message resonated with you, it might speak to someone else too. Forward it to a friend who’s ready for their next chapter—you never know what kind of shift a few words of encouragement can spark.
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