Our brains are really good at making patterns. It helps us to make shortcuts and come to conclusions in a shorter amount of time. One of the shortcuts that we use a lot are labels. They help us to make generalizations and know how to treat people without really thinking about it. Labels can be good, you can be labeled as the person who always has food or is always on time or you can be labeled by what you do.
Being known as the person who does “one specific thing” can make it harder for you to step out of your comfort zone. Until now, everyone has seen you as the “insert adjective here” person. You may feel like you can’t do anything else because people expect you to do just one thing; if you were to ever do something different, it would throw everything off balance. Who cares what you have previously been known for?! If you have a new aspect of yourself that you want to make known, share it! It may take people a while to get used to you doing this new thing, but don’t let that stop you.
If you have an idea that you have been wanting to try, start mapping it out. If you’ve been wanting to start a blog, learn to make websites, design clothes, become a photographer, learn an instrument, start a business, talk to new people, whatever it is, do it! Don’t let fear of the unknown be the reason you don’t try something new. We are meant to be constant learners in this life.
If you got it. Work it.
If you don’t got it. Learn it.
This has been something I have tried to exemplify in my own life. In middle school, I bugged one of my mentors until they taught me how to do graphic design, in 2016 I knew nothing about owning a business, but I started selling greeting cards and learned how to do it better as I went along. Since then, I have learned about taxes for businesses, ordering supplies online, how to make a website, how to design my own business cards and logos (and how to order them), and I’m still learning how to be an effective social media marketer.
I saw some ideas for different styles of clothing and wanted to try something myself. With my sister’s teaching, I learned how to do some simple stitching and was able to refashion and hem some clothing.
I would look at jewelry in stores and think “that’s cute, but what if it looked like this?” So I learned how to make earrings and then I started to sell them.
I have always wanted to learn how to surf, so I decided to take a class. Now I know how to surf, not like the pros of course, but I can stay on for more than 3 seconds.
I just see things I want to do and I set out to learn them. Not that any of these endeavors have been easy, but you have to set your mind on it and go for it. Yes you’ll be scared, but you have to desire to try new things more than you desire to remain comfortable and unembarrassed. The idea is to not come to new experiences with an attitude that already thinks you won’t be any good. Whenever you are first starting something, you’re most likely going to be terrible at it, but it’s okay. Keep practicing and you’ll get to the level you want to be at. Diligence, consistency, and drive.
You have so much more in you than what you have shown the world so far. Don’t let them box you in--and don’t box yourself in either.
Get a little notebook small enough to carry around with you so that you can write down random ideas as they come to you. It may even help to write down the things you want to do and send the list to some friends that you know will push you to accomplish the things you have written down. Do whatever it takes to not remain stagnant. Don’t let your dreams remain dreams. Don’t limit yourself.
If you need more encouragement or have questions about any of the projects I have started, feel free to contact me! I’ll try to be of use, lol.
Tell your friends you love them,
Kae
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