The other day, I did my make-up with a "light beat" and started thinking about something. This idea of perfection that so many of us have in our minds. I've been enhancing my make-up skills over time, which has been therapeutic since I view my make-up time as me painting the blank canvas that is my face. It's also a time during the day, where I can focus on self-care and get all philosophical at the same time. Nevertheless, it's truly about just starting, right? Making the decision that you want to do something and acting on that thought.
In the picture above, it's not perfect, but it's beautiful. I didn't set out for perfection, I just wanted to do a little something that would boost my mood. I got mascara on my eyelid that I didn't wipe off, and didn't put my powder foundation completely under my eyes, so the color is off a tad. Which is pretty cool, because the imperfection makes it unique to me. Most likely, you wouldn't have even noticed if I didn't point it out to you.
Most of us have found extra time on our hands, and we keep dreaming and scheming about our goals and dreams, but talk ourselves out of acting because we're either waiting on perfection or for the world to return back to "normal." Whatever that fully means. While the idea of betting on ourselves is thrilling, it can also be frightening which can sometimes lead us to fall back into the fear of not starting due to thoughts of not being good enough and or not wanting to start until it can be done perfectly. The gag is . . . it will never be perfect, but you just have to start!
This blog is something that I conceptualized for over a year before it launched. Often, I'd get an idea and pull out the notes section of my phone to get ideas out of my head before they became forgotten. I spent months rearranging my blog brand, inclusive of writing, editing, and creating media content. Then, I finally realized what I created was strong enough to be shared and if I kept talking myself out of launching by pushing it back another month, it wouldn't be to my benefit. So, I picked a date, and stuck with that hard deadline. When it launched on January 31, 2020, it wasn't perfect - just like my pictured make-up, but at the same time it was stunning to me and something I worked hard to create.
Please please please, do not talk yourself out of your future successes before you even get started. It's so easy for us to do it without even realizing that we've done it subconsciously, especially in the age of social media. We look at so and so and they're doing what we want, then we keep scrolling and see someone else is doing that same thing, and we feel like the market is saturated, so there is no point to begin. Wrong.
I read a Forbes article the other day that mentioned there are currently 31.7 million bloggers in the United States alone. So what! They're doing what I want to do, and if I see this thing through I could probably do it better than them. Why? Because my story and my brand is unique to me! Remember, it's fine to admire what someone else is doing, but please don't let that detract from your plans. Not convinced? Think about it this way. How many times have you driven around town and seen a strip of fast food chains and their respective parking lots are full? So many times I've seen a McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King in the same shopping center with a lot full of customers. I think it's because although they offer many of the same items, they also have menu items that are unique to their respective chains. I know I've preferred the combo of Wendy's nuggets and McDonald's fries.
People will support what is good, whether it is good food or good content. There is room for you to have a seat at the table.
One of my favorite lines by J. Cole in the song A Tale of 2 Citiez is "even if you let them kill your dream, it'll haunt you." Don't let anyone kill your dreams, and don't be the one to kill your dreams either. It's smart to think in reality and to move strategically, but once you've thoughtfully created your path forward, just start - even it it's messy! Most likely, people won't see what you think is a flaw and will love your beginning product!
I'm rooting for you! Take time to enjoy being a novice. This could relate to anything that piques your interest. Whether you're a beginner to working out, cooking, doing your hair, blogging, or consulting, the key is to just start. You'll get better over time, but you'll never know if you don't start and stay consistent.
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