Congratulations to Jeanette Botha for Winning the February 2025 Barefoot Writing Challenge! (Your $100 prize is on its way!)
The challenge was to write an essay that answered this prompt:
Instead of what you want or hope to accomplish this year, what’s one thing you’re committed to not doing?
Jeanette told a gripping story about flipping her thinking in a way that can empower all writers. Enjoy her winning submission:
Procrastination became my go-to
by Jeanette Botha
I am one of the most fearless women I know. I’m not afraid to step in when needed, regardless of the situation. I’ve killed two-headed snakes (yes, they actually do exist), squashed massive scorpions with a huge wooden board until it cracked, and built a successful business from scratch. So why, when it comes to submitting my writing, do I freeze up like icicles on a white winter’s day?
Procrastination became my go-to. My safe place. We all have one. For some, it’s a physical space; for others, like me, it’s a mental refuge. The emotions tied to it, however, are as real as that winter’s day is cold.
But I don’t want to procrastinate anymore. I’m done finding excuses for all the “whys.” My whole life, I’ve been a go-getter. Or so I thought (not sure if I should giggle or sigh deeply). I pursued a career in full-time ministry that few would dare to try. I got divorced at 50, lost everything, overcame aggressive breast cancer a year later, and started a brand-new career in education at 52. Yet, when it comes to submitting my writing, the work that comes from the deep recesses of my heart, I freeze.
Why is it so easy to tackle the “normal” stuff but so hard to face the “heart” stuff? I had to sit down and have a long, honest conversation with myself. Why do I run away from what really matters? Is it that childhood fear of not being good enough? The fear of critique? Or maybe it’s the vulnerability of letting people into my world.
After all, I am the self-proclaimed queen of “running away and hiding.” I learned that pattern early, probably around age 5. That’s when I became a bookworm, finding comfort in pages rather than people.
But now, when it’s time to share my own words, I freeze. That’s why I made a decision. This year, I’m grabbing the bull by the horns and freeing myself from this fear once and for all. No more P.R.O.C.R.A.S.T.I.N.A.T.I.O.N.
I’ve committed to submitting at least one written assignment per month for a paid opportunity. Yes, stepping out of my cozy little comfort zone. Actually, I’ve evicted myself from that zone. I’ve officially changed addresses. I now reside in the Land of Possibilities.
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In my case, that step is submitting one piece of writing each month. Don’t get me wrong — I write all the time. It’s the submission part that trips me up. I write, rewrite, and overthink until the words feel stale.
But the core issue isn’t the writing itself; it’s the fear. Fear of being seen. Fear of being judged. Fear that my words won’t resonate. Yet I remind myself that “fear” often stands for “false evidence appearing real.” So no more buying into false evidence. No more running. No more hiding.
The journey has begun. One piece, one month, one courageous step at a time.
