Olga reckons I’ve got a bad case of BMS—Blogger’s Monthly Syndrome. It’s a pitiful condition that I’ve grappled with for a while—but I’m beginning to realize that it’s just another part of my journey of creative self-determination.
It’s a constant challenge to keep re-inventing myself—adjusting and repositioning, learning and growing, staying in touch with new developments while staying in touch with my values, and absorbing or editing out information, according to how I want to define ‘me’. So, much as I might moan about it, I know that grappling with how to formulate my message helps me to discover what’s inside and what’s important to me. This, in turn, helps me to move forward in the world, more authentically relevant, compelling and connected.
That’s where the mindset becomes important. As the world around us is changing at a hectic rate, defining ourselves appears to be increasingly difficult—but only because we so often try to do that in terms of what we think will be okay, attractive or useful to others, and there are always so many new things to consider in the mix. Such reactive thinking, however, dismisses our inherent value as the powerful individuals we truly are. It also means that we tend to distort ourselves in our efforts to fit into our perceptions of what others want. That’s a tough act to perform and sustain, and it’s ultimately fruitless, since it’s not based on who we really are.
We don’t need to concern ourselves with whether or not we have true value or relevance, since we all have special qualities that we can match to particular situations. It’s far more valuable and constructive to find ways to lose the fear of rejection, worthlessness etc, since they’re just irrelevant ideas and have no real substance. Instead, we can choose to empower ourselves, strengthen our core, believe in ourselves and learn to understand and appreciate our inherent strengths. Once we do that, we naturally attract situations that are a perfect fit.
I’ve been going through a very interesting process with my mentor. (Yes, I have a mentor, and I think anyone who thinks they don’t need one is probably kidding themselves.) It’s a very powerful process that has challenged me to stretch myself, to look at my blind spots and to explore certain aspects of myself that I would have overlooked, had I not committed to going deeper. It forces me to take all the mind chat, all the rationale for doing what I do, all the caveats about my value, all the excuses and conditions I may invent and all the sneaky little asides that may creep into my mind to taunt me—and convert them into clear and concise communication.
Until I’m really clear about me, how can I hope to deliver a compelling message to others? I cannot even recognize the signposts along the way unless I have a clear sense of myself as I am in this moment. Only with that ongoing awareness, and with creative vigilance, can I deliver a message that’s distilled to its essence and cleanly hits home. Powerful stuff, if I can do it!
