I heard a friend saying, “if he tried to paint like Picasso, he wouldn’t try to paint.”
My brain went crazy with the concept. He continued, “but if I just paint like me, I can be free to create, explore and just be myself.”
I’ve been comparing my writing to other people’s. And it’s not like theirs. And I automatically, on some level, felt like mine was therefore wrong.
I don’t cite scientific experiments, or do research on the topic. I don’t discuss politics or the state of the environment. I don’t know the next healthy thing or the best exercise to do.
I write about what’s going on with me. How I’ve turned my negative brain patterns into freeing thoughts. How I’ve shifted the paradigms in which I’ve lived my whole life.
And I do it by sharing what’s REALLY going on with me. And I’ve always been afraid that I’m sharing too much. That people will just think I’m crazy. So I held back my writing for years.
Until I realized that it was only fear holding me back. And it wouldn’t kill me or hurt me. And I’m getting bolder by the day. And even putting this out publicly. (OK, I’ll admit that sometimes I do get into a panic at night about it, but I just try to breathe and realize nothing is happening.)
Before, I needed validation that it was ok to do this. Without it, I stopped.
Because I knew that I wasn’t painting like Picasso, so it must be wrong.
But why does the world need another Picasso? Maybe the world needs someone who can share authentically and inspire people to create their own new worlds. And maybe that’s why God gave me the passion and desire to do this.
I don’t really know. All I know is that it feels like it’s the right thing for me to do. And I am joyful and alive when I’m writing.
What makes you feel alive and passionate? Are you doing it? Can you do more? Or are you afraid to follow your dreams?
My unsolicited advice: Go for it. See what happens. You might start having way more fun!!!!