Have you seen the world's smallest dog meeting the world's tallest dog? The video is adorbs! But it also reminds me of this lightning bolt realization I had this summer: 

A very tall dog stands feet above a tiny chichuahua
Big Dog Small Dog via Guiness World Records

 I WALLOW MORE THAN I CELEBRATE.

If I win a contest, get an acceptance, or receive my published work in the mail, I just do a little humble "who, me?" blush and move right along like nothing happened. 

But a loss? A rejection? That is cause for questioning my dreams, my skill. How did I even write this sentence, I may wonder, as I am clearly incompetent. Should I continue writing? Is Wendy's hiring? Are the pens talking about me behind my back? 

Okay, maybe "wallow" is a big word. It's more of a sulk. Like an "I'm fine" (you know what I'm talking about.) And that's okay. I'm allowed to feel a kind of way about disappointing things, after all. 

But if I allow a little pity party, then the equal and opposite reaction* should be true for success. (*Newton's Third Law of Emotion) 

In fact, I should throw a BIG CELEBRATION when good things happen. But I really hate cleaning up confetti, so maybe I could just stop shying away from giving myself a solid pat on the back. 

Speaking of tooting my own horn ... there are a few new poems in the world which you can read in Paperbound and Little Thoughts Press. 

YAY ME! 

*throws confetti*

*gets out vacuum cleaner*

*pats back earnestly*