“With great power comes great responsibility,” but living an average life is overrated!
I don’t know about you, but when I ask myself the above question, I respond with statements akin to, “Well, there are things I’m really good at. Does that count??” It’s like I can’t even begin to fathom that there is something I’m so great at that I, dare I say it, be the BEST at it…::gasp:: It’s like uttering the known thing that makes it real. It’s like giving the fear and insecurities hidden in our mind free reign to come to light when we shine that spot on the thing(s) we are best at.
Why do we do this? Why do we neglect our gift to the world for the sake of fear? What are we afraid of? I’ll say it. We are afraid that uttering the phrase, “I’m the best at what I do” will give every troll and asshole a license to nitpick at our early mistakes and any human error we may make along the way. No one wants to be judged and found wanting. Most people don’t even want to be judged at all. It’s nerve-wracking and we tend to think it’s better to ignore the spark inside our soul and cling to the consistency of mediocrity and comfort.
Know what I say to that? “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” None of us, least of all me, are getting any younger. I give us all permission, right now, to just jot down a few things that come pretty darn easy- if not magically effortless- to us. You may not even know what those things are. Ask for help. Ask your best friend, your mother, the baker at your local bakery, and the man who keeps a turkey fed just for you and your Thanksgiving guests. I’m serious. Do it now. Grab a napkin if you have to and freeform that shit. Modesty is overrated. And yes, you’ll have modifiers in your descriptions first go round. That’s ok. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You just have to start writing.
Here’s my attempt at discovering what joy, pain, and value I can tap into and offer this glorious world we all share:
- singing the shit out of jazz ballads
- making rescue cats feel super loved
- exploring nooks and crannies while traveling and finding some pretty cool local spots
- listening to others share their problems
- lifting heavy shit in CrossFit
- making pretty decent meals from the supply of random food in the fridge
- being myself
- embracing my attraction to white men and accepting my blackness
- editing, proofreading, and revisions
- reading
- getting lost in the woods and finding my way back through amazing trails
- learning new things
- organizing shit
- forgiving
- empathy
- understanding
Now, all joking aside, this is a kickass way to start off. That’s all we need to do. Take the first step. Then, take another. Then, take another effing step. Pretty soon, you will look back and realize, “Shit, I never thought I’d make it this far!”
Welcome to the Blerdside 