Doing things differently
I’m doing things differently.
The way I create, the way I share, the way I live out my values — it’s all going to feel different now that I’m doing things differently.
Growth is uncomfortable, and it’s kind of wild how we enter growth seasons without really noticing it or planning for it.
It just kind of happens.
It’s been years now that I’ve had a goal and burning desire to start writing again. When people ask what I really want to do and I’d say something like, “Mmm, I’m not sure yet but I do want to write a book one day.”
And then they’d reply, “why don’t you?”
But me being the human that I am, thoughts like “oh, I just don’t have the creative energy right now” or “what will people think” or “what if I don’t exactly say what I mean” would creep into my mind and get in the way.
So I’d play it safe and instead live vicariously through others who are living out my big, shiny creative dreams.
The whole point of writing this blog post is to declare for myself that I’m doing things differently.
And to let you know it’s okay to do things differently, too. It’s okay if your progress looks different than the progress of others around you.
I’ve been peeling the pressure off layer by layer so hopefully I feel more open and inspired to keep going. I’m approaching my creative dreams as an experiment and with curiosity.
For so long, I’ve followed the “tried and true” approaches. I’ve taken the career advice. I’ve absorbed books about routines and goal setting. I’ve bought the planners. I’ve used the project management tools.
But what I’ve learned is that I have what I need inside of me all along.
And I get to choose how I live the journey. I get to choose the next step. I get to choose when to hit publish (or not).
I’m also meeting my fears and the moments I want to hold back with “do things differently.”
The only way I can make a change or take a risk is if I push through that fear. Even if it’s taking the smallest step forward. And by doing things differently.
It’s pretty damn scary publishing your thoughts for the public to read (even if no one reads them).
But I do it anyway, because I know I’m not alone in wanting to pursue something you think about all of the time.
There’s a lot of ideas, opinions, researched-backed best approaches and wisdom out there that tells us how to do things and make our goals happen. Telling us we have to work really hard for our dreams and maintain a balanced life all at the same time. It’s a lot.
However, I have a feeling the best advice out there floating around Instagram and the universe right now is just be your authentic self.
The you that you are.
The world needs more of you.
(At least that’s what the world is whispering to me).
