“Tell us about a struggle you’ve been through and/or the daily struggles you have at work, in motherhood, etc.”  <– How is that for a great open-ended writing prompt?!?

I am linking up with Show and Tell Tuesday this week because we ALL face struggles….

I could write about the quest for balance between work-life and home-life. I could write about struggles we’ve gone through in seven years of marriage. I could write about the struggles of just being a parent – finding the best way to guide MyChild and hope that she is ready to face the world when it comes time.

I don’t feel any of those things are unique to me – I am definitely not a special snowflake for having experience any of them. Don’t we all face rough patches in the things we do/how we live?

I AM going to write about the struggle that is most oppressive to me right now and weighing down on me. I am talking about feeling fenced in/bound/caged/etc.

In my grown-up job I am a writer. I love to write. In this particular position, I write to persuade people their contribution to our organization will greatly impact the lives of people in need. I am particularly good at my job. I know what I am doing and I know how to do it well. (Humble brag: I exceeded my goal by 30% last year.)

Here’s the struggle: Lately (in 2017) I have been increasingly limited on how I can do my job. EVERY little thing I write is edited within an inch of its life. I have mentioned before how I do NOT mind constructive criticism and edits, but any more it is just excessive and pointless. The changes are literally so the editor can have their say in what is being done.

My voice is gone.

Of course, this is a bit dramatic, but it is how I feel much of the time. I am supposed to write what I am told and HOW I am told to do it. If I don’t, it gets rewritten for me. Which is dumb and a complete waste of my time. I feel like it is pointless to even try.

I do not have answers on how to deal with this. I am still in the midst of this struggle and just trying to get by, myself. BUT…. I will not give up:

Know that whatever struggle you are going through, I very much doubt you are alone. Others have faced it and lived to tell about it. Here’s to hoping we all can face our current struggles and make it through to the other side a better us.