When I first started this blog, I was terrified of what people would say.
Anytime I would go to hit publish on a post, I would fill with dread at the thought of someone actually reading it.
What they would think of my writing? Of my thoughts? Of me?
It might sound silly to some but it’s, in fact, that dread that pushed me to push publish at all.
I wasn’t going to let it, my fear that is, get the better of me anymore.
A blog was my next big adventure (little did I know how big back then), and I wasn’t going to allow myself to remain the girl who was afraid of expressing herself.
I was tired of letting my fear keep me from doing the thing that I’d always wanted to do (in some shape or form). Write.
And you know what?
It is precisely through writing the blog from that place of determination to do it my way + for me that I found myself…that I found my voice.
Every week, I would sit down and think to myself, “What do I want to share today?”.
I would close my eyes + write what came to mind. Not giving myself the time to judge or hesitate. And then, when I felt like there was nothing left to say, I would quickly edit + publish it before doubt + “care” of others’ opinions could gain traction in my mind.
This practice, I am sure of it, is what allows me to write as me, today.
It’s in those first few months that I went quickly from fearful but aspiring blogger to a girl with something to say and a desire to say it.
It’s in those months that my voice, brand and otherwise, was really shaped.
It’s when I really started to feel enthusiasm around the idea of writing, and sharing that writing with the world. It is how I know to express myself open. It is how I connect, with others and with myself.
And through the confidence I gained in myself as my blog evolved, I realized there was no one waiting on the other side of the computer screen waiting to tear me down.
Ok, well maybe there was. But those that were? Well, I’m not quite sure I care about what they have to say.
That resolve was born from that new confidence.
Confidence in who I am, who I want to be, + the stories that have brought me to this moment.
But, more importantly in expressing myself as that person and in telling those stories.
It’s for this reason that OWNING WHO YOU ARE holds such a strong and central position in my business, brand, messaging, and life.
Because I know that it wasn’t until I really allowed myself to be present in the work that I do + the words that I write that my dream people could be impacted by it.
More than that, that I could be.
Writing has really given me the power to grow and to (hopefully) inspire others to use their words for the same means.
So, before you do anything else…
Give yourself the space to get to the bottom of who you really are:
- What are your fears?
- What holds you back?
- What propels you forward?
- What do you really love?
- What do you really value?
Take the time to think about where you want to go, who you want to become:
- Who do you want to be?
- How will you become her?
- What is your vision for your life?
Reflect on how you are going to showcase that to your audience…and the world:
- What is your why?
- What are your quirks?
- Is video your jam? A podcast?
- How do you want them to feel when they hear, see, read what you have to say?
It’s when you take the time to explore these questions, and questions like them, that that magical voice of yours really starts to evolve and can’t help but shine through to the surface of all that you do.
Maybe even just let it start with, “What do I want to share today?”
Life is yours to create dudette, so write the story of your damn dreams.
Want to learn more about creativity, storytelling, and developing a writer’s mindset?
Goodie! It might not be an A-List, but the Laffy Email Squad is a pretty cool thing to be a part of if you’re looking to learn some things about how to be more you in your brand and copy.
So. Are ya? Yeah? Awesome! Sign on up!
