“I never did mind about the little things.”

One of my favorite movies is POINT OF NO RETURN with Bridget Fonda. A young adult female believes she’s about to die by lethal injection. But after, she wakes in a room and is told that she will train to be a spy. (Really an assassin as got pointed out in the comments.)

The training is grueling in self defense but also in how to act, talk, and eat like a lady. The older woman helping her with her charm and etiquette literally forces her to say, “I never did mind about the little things.”

The girl says it through clenched teeth.

She finishes her training and moves out into the real world. But acting like a lady changes her. She loses her killer instinct and eventually wants out. In one of the last scenes, where her life is at stake on a mission, she says, “I never did mind about the little things.”

But this time she has a smile on her face.

I’ve taken that on as my mantra on this publishing journey and for my life.

There are so many things that could upset us: the state of the publishing industry, rejections, snarky comments on Twitter, opinionated blog posts, agents becoming publishers, writing slumps, discouragement…etc. You name it.

There are things in life too: schools focusing too much on testing, academic expectations not being met, coaching soccer in the rain for the fifth time in a row, a messy dining room when company stops by…etc.

Lately, I just smile to myself, toss my hair and say,

“I never did mind about the little things.”

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35 Responses to “I never did mind about the little things.”

  1. Andrea October 5, 2011 at 10:16 am #

    Such a great attitude, Laura. Sometimes I use an opposite strategy to keep motivated, e.g. just write a little bit.

  2. Miranda Hardy October 5, 2011 at 11:16 am #

    I loved that movie, too. She was trained to be an assassin, really. One of my favorites.

    • Laura October 5, 2011 at 11:22 am #

      You’re right. It was an assassin. I couldn’t really put a finger on the term for it. 🙂

  3. Kris October 5, 2011 at 12:02 pm #

    I just wrote a new scene in the book last week (after you read it), Laura. I’m going to send you a quote from one of my characters.

    I agree with you whole-heartedly. You have to take the little things–good and bad. Enjoy the little moments along the way (and celebrate them) and push the bad stuff to the side.

    xoxo

  4. Ava Jae October 5, 2011 at 12:17 pm #

    What a great mantra–definitely a positive attitude to have.

    • Laura October 5, 2011 at 12:23 pm #

      I’m not saying the little things don’t bother me. Sometimes I’m the one clenching my teeth and saying the words through a forced smile. Other times it’s real and I don’t let things bother me. But sometimes we have to state things we don’t feel and we’ll catch up later.

  5. Stina Lindenblatt October 5, 2011 at 12:29 pm #

    That’s all you can do in this industry: smile. It’s sure beats cying all the time. That just smudges your mascara, and no one likes that.

    I can remember if I’ve seen that movie. I sure sounds good.

    • Laura October 5, 2011 at 1:11 pm #

      I love movies like that where the person comes from nothing and undergoes transformation. The imprisonment theme, even if there is no actual jail time. It’s an old movie.

  6. Ansha Kotyk October 5, 2011 at 2:11 pm #

    I absolutely love Bridget Fonda in this movie. Gabriel Byrne was her ‘handler’ right? He was awesome too. It’s one of my faves too, and I think that’s because the story has that transformation that you talked about. Love it!
    I think this movie was based on Little Nikita? an older movie? I remember that USA put out a series after Point Of No Returns success. It didn’t last. No one was as good at the character as Bridget. 😉

  7. Matthew MacNish October 5, 2011 at 3:02 pm #

    I freaking love that movie, and Bridget Fonda, too. I’m pretty sure the story is based on Nikita, or Little Nikita, I can’t remember what it was called.

  8. Christina Lee October 5, 2011 at 3:27 pm #

    Ahh– I just watched that movie again (loved the original movie and La Femme Nikita series on TV too)!!!

  9. Patti October 5, 2011 at 3:31 pm #

    I love that movie, in fact I just PVR’d it the other day.

    I totally agree with you that you have to not let the little things get to you and just keep moving forward.

  10. Susan R. Mills October 5, 2011 at 3:37 pm #

    Love it! Great mantra. That attitude will take you far.

  11. Susan Sipal October 5, 2011 at 4:10 pm #

    Thanks for the reminder, Laura! I needed it today. 🙂

  12. Wendy October 5, 2011 at 4:21 pm #

    Ha. Love this! Point was one of my dad’s favorite movies. Yep, there are some times we need to trust that inner circle to our emotions. It’s a wild ride, that’s for sure.
    ~ Wendy

  13. Loree Huebner October 5, 2011 at 4:49 pm #

    Funny how the little things become the most important…or the stuff we sweat over.

    Great post.

  14. becca puglisi October 5, 2011 at 5:40 pm #

    Love that movie. I need a mantra. I just finished WITHER by Lauren DeStefano and I, while inspired, I’m completely demoralized by its greatness, lol.

    Becca @ The Bookshelf Muse

  15. Traci Kenworth October 5, 2011 at 5:53 pm #

    Great attitude, Laura!!

  16. christine danek October 5, 2011 at 5:54 pm #

    I love that movie. This is something I should think about more often. Thanks.

  17. Sherrie Petersen October 5, 2011 at 5:54 pm #

    I’d forgotten about this movie. I remember loving it so much I bought the video when it came out. Good reminder not to sweat the small stuff 🙂

    • Laura October 5, 2011 at 6:16 pm #

      Thanks everyone! The reason I watched it was b/c of Netflix. With their streaming program, they offer such a poor selection of movies to stream that we just typed in some of our old favorites and were shocked when we found this available!

  18. Karen Strong October 5, 2011 at 8:04 pm #

    I remember that movie! 😉

    And yes, love that attitude of yours as well. At the end of the day, those small things really don’t matter.

  19. Ansha Kotyk October 5, 2011 at 8:30 pm #

    Ah, I was just browsing the netflix stream and thinking the same thing. “Where are all the cool movies??” Off to instant queue PoNR. 🙂

  20. Elle Strauss October 5, 2011 at 9:35 pm #

    Great attitude! This biz can make you crazy, we all need something to help us stay balanced. It’s like don’t sweat the small stuff and it’s all small stuff.

  21. Stacy October 5, 2011 at 10:45 pm #

    LOVE this post, Laura. Today’s one of those days where the writing didn’t come easy. I second guessed myself, yada, yada. Thanks for the pickmeup!

  22. Laura Marcella October 5, 2011 at 11:34 pm #

    Love this post, Laura! That’s a good mantra. 🙂 I haven’t seen that movie, so I’ll have to rent it.

  23. Lynda R Young October 6, 2011 at 12:39 am #

    Ha, I should take that saying up too. The little things just don’t matter after the long haul.

  24. jbchicoine October 6, 2011 at 1:43 am #

    I’m still trying to figure out which are the little things and which are little things pretending to be big! Proper perspective is a real challenge.

  25. Karen Lange October 6, 2011 at 1:30 pm #

    Thanks for this reminder to keep everything in perspective. I like the hair toss, too. Helps it deliver the right punch. 🙂

  26. J.L. Campbell October 6, 2011 at 1:36 pm #

    Your last couple of sentences made me smile. I’m old enough now to realize that the things I fuss over don’t matter in another few hours, day or week.

  27. Leigh Moore October 6, 2011 at 2:47 pm #

    I’ve never seen that movie, but it sounds interesting. Lately the little things have been getting to me, so thanks for this~ :o) <3

  28. Susan Kaye Quinn October 6, 2011 at 3:41 pm #

    Awesome! Even one day in the rain watching a soccer game ruins my day, so you’re made of hardier stuff than I am! And you have exactly the right attitude – keep on smiling. 🙂

  29. Marcia October 6, 2011 at 4:47 pm #

    I’m much more able to not mind the little things than I once was. And I totally agree that sometimes you have to say something first, and THEN it becomes true.

  30. Lisa Green October 7, 2011 at 3:11 am #

    Don’t sweat the small stuff. That’s a good motto.

  31. Julie Musil October 7, 2011 at 3:44 am #

    I just recently saw this movie on Netflix! What a fun flick.

    Like you, I’m learning to let some stuff go. It takes effort and patience though, and I’m not always great at it. But usually something will happen that puts me in my place, reminding me to not sweat the small stuff.

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