Shine That Spotlight, Babe.
Playing with lonely kids at recess and betting on yourself.
I’ve been staring at this blank page for five minutes. I’m sitting in the corner booth at Starbucks, watching the blinking cursor and staring out the window as if I’m deep in thought about important things but my thoughts are really just about how cold my legs are right now and how much I’d rather be snuggled up on my couch binge watching something on Netflix (even though I’ve already exhausted all the good Netflix shows and everything else is on winter hiatus).
If you’re reading this in real time, you’re probably trying to navigate the hype of the new year and it’s already feeling a bit like holding on for dear life as you get tossed down a raging white water rapid.
Or maybe that’s just me. 😬
I’ve decided, though, that I’m not implementing anything new this year. Last year was a great exploration (or experimentation, rather) of figuring out what things work for me to help me feel like a functioning human being (mind you, not to be one, but at least to feel like one because, baby steps).
So this year I’m tossing out what didn’t work (getting up at 5am) and doubling down on the things that did work (getting up 15 minutes before the kids, reading more good books, mixing in a little kickboxing with my yoga).
The other thing I’m doubling down on this year is my writing. This is the year of betting on myself, of taking my creative endeavors seriously.
Last year I wrote a whole course on writing and finding a creative process that works for you and really going all in. I published the course and then promptly…. let it sit there.
I sent out a few emails about it and maybe mentioned it vaguely here and there.
But then I let it hang out all alone like the new kid on the playground at recess when everyone else was playing tag and chasing Jared, the fastest boy in school.
I do that alot - indulge in my creativity and write something fun, then just walk away. Whether it ends up in the trash can or saved in the archives, most of what I do doesn’t see the light of day.
And maybe that’s okay. Not everything I write needs to get shoved into the spotlight. Some things are just for me. (You’re welcome.)
But (and it’s a big but) oftentimes, I avoid shining a light on my writing because I’m scared. I’m afraid Sally from highschool will see the link I posted on Instagram and click through, reading in disgust at my silly little stories.
Or maybe my mom won’t approve of all the cuss words (Hi mom! Look - no foul language so far!)
Or maybe when people ask what I do, I’ll actually have to admit that I’m a writer and I wrote something they can actually find online and maybe they’ll actually find it and ohmygosh, they’ll READ IT! *gasp*
But on the real, who actually gives a flying fuck what other people think? (There she is, ladies and gentlemen.)
The other thing that came out of 2024 was a tragic reminder that tomorrow is never guaranteed and life is short. Don’t fucking waste it hiding because you’re afraid of what Joe Blow might think. F-that guy anyway, right?!
Bet on yourself. Go all in on your creativity. Trust in your process. And know that you have something this world needs. We all do. And it’s up to us to have the guts to put it out there.
Shine that spotlight, babe.
And if you want to play with the lonely kid on the playground, you can check out my online writing course here: it’s called Courageous Writing and it’s a great way to start a new year of writing!
You can also share this newsletter - Behind the Scenes - with any of your creative and writerly type friends. There’s power in numbers, right?