I heard that, if you’re going through something, you should wait until you’ve gone through it completely to write about it. Give readers the whole scope of whatever you’ve suffered, accomplished, or figured out from beginning to end. Describe the trials, give the steps you took, tell the story, illustrate the outcome.

Maybe so.

I am told that you better be pretty freaking interesting if you expect anybody to follow you. Pick a topic, find a niche, stick to consistency, if you want people to trust you, be intrigued by you, and engage with your content.

Ok.

I understand that controversy breeds engagement. An edgy opinion or a bold stance on a polarizing issue drives LIKES and multiplies followers.

I see that.

I have read that you need to be extraordinary in some sense – wildly charming and charismatic, super talented, a great cook, a highly organized housekeeper, a resourceful mom. You need a whimsical sense of design, a clever quick wit, an unusual depth of knowledge on a single subject.

Hmmm.

All these things, these requirements, and these standards, swirl in my mind. They make me second guess my writing choices, question my social media presence, and doubt my ability to ever “make it” as a writer.  I measure myself against metrics like these, and I worry I don’t (and can’t) produce.

Enough.

I’m not a YouTuber. I don’t even have TikTok. I don’t know that I want to have a million zillion followers.

I just want to think out loud. I want to put what’s in my brain into words. I want to describe what’s really like to be 48 years old.  I want to champion the art of growth and evolution at midlife and challenge the idea of it being considered some kind of “crisis”.

I want to find my people out there who look for the nearest exit when surface-level mess and gossip become the topic of conversation. I want to gather my folks who long to dive deeply into meaningful subjects, soul searching, and world changing. I want to encourage personal growth, self-improvement, and joy. I want to cook yummy food, share recipes, and post food pics. I want turn midlife into art, normalize its struggles, celebrate its goodness, and push beyond its alleged boundaries.

I haven’t been through this evolution yet, but it’s underway. I like the idea of sharing the journey WITHOUT knowing the outcome.

I’m pretty “normal,” but we are all unique. This purple-haired, well-read, mentally and emotionally reconstructed, spiritual, good cook surely must have something to offer. I’ve been a lot of places and built businesses. I have created a pretty cool legacy and am about to embark on finding ways to create another. And, dang it, I’ve got a teenager and an almost 22 year old, which provides enough material to fill pages and volumes.

So listen…whatever is in your head, whatever you’re being told, whatever you’re reading…acknowledge it, hear it, take it in…but don’t let it make you give up or even pause or delay your efforts. Do your thing, and do it unabashedly. Don’t change. Don’t compete. Just do.

That’s my plan, anyway.

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