Get on Your Own Team Long Enough to Create

I had a few people (and my own inner critic) scoff at me starting a memoir at twenty-three.

I can't possibly know enough. Who am I to think I have enough life experience, insight, wisdom and knowledge to share?

But deep down, I knew I was ready (at least to start).

The challenges I'd already faced were unique to millennials and Gen Z and we needed new lights to guide the way. There was no such thing (as far as I'm aware) as online bullying and a “naked photo scandal” before us. 

And every day, the world will drag you by the hand, yelling, “This is important! And this is important! And this is important! You need to worry about this! And this! And this!” And each day, it's up to you to yank your hand back, put it on your heart and say, “No. This is what's important.” 

Iain Thomas

It's hard being on your own side when your conditioning is to distrust, doubt and belittle yourself and what you already know. It's hard to commit and fiercely protect your curiosity and those little sparks of ingenuity when the world has told you to be apathetic about creativity. It's hard to respect yourself enough to tackle a worthy challenge if you've been taught to doubt your own ability.

If you're trying to make this world better with your creativity, prioritise it. 

Tune out the voices of the world and let the value of what you have to offer reveal itself to you.

When the world is underwhelmed

with all I've got

and I think the pain of their apathy

might kill me

when even the desire to choose differently

is buried

and I'm tangled in the net

I thought would catch me

you seek out the core of me

lie in wait

look for the place

my armor is most likely to give way

“Use it,” you whisper

“Bring it all to me”

In a world that values quantitative data, I've found it hard to anchor into the knowledge that what I have to offer is valuable. 

Maybe you've had the same challenge?

I deal with the intangible: emotions, states of mind and spiritual wellbeing. I see the success of the work I do in smiles, sighs of relief and a lightness of spirit.

I can't guarantee you'll make x more dollars or go on x more dates.

I don't want to.

I can guarantee you'll experience more awe and peace, face the same situation with a different attitude and look back on all you've been through with more reverence and pride. 

If you're struggling to back yourself right now, in whatever you're doing, I want you to know I feel you. It felt terrifying to give my heart so freely to my book, but I'm so glad I did. I don't think my life path would have been complete without it.

Learn what you needed to from what you've been through; trade in your traumatic experiences for something valuable.

The dreams, visions and ideas that live inside you right now will exist all around us tomorrow. 

Bring them out. 

It's safe for you to be seen.