I was in the gym the other day, feeling a little down, and a song by Aretha Franklin came on in my headphones.
Her voice - all that power under control, all that joy and originality and deep magic - changed my mood immediately, and it hit me, “what if she had never sung her song - never had the courage to be heard, to be rejected or applauded, never left her house with all that gold in her chest?”
Her song changed my w-o-r-l-d that morning, and that’s no small thing.
Many folks tell me they ‘aren’t creative,’ and I always tell them that’s complete bull. ‘Creative’ doesn’t mean you’re skilled in writing or illustrating. ‘Creative’ is that thing that stirs your soul, keeps you up, pings you in the middle of the day at a deep level, gives you comfort when you give it time. That’s your creativity speaking to you, wanting to be stretched and explored and even seen.
You know that perspective you have that’s different from that of most folks you know? That thing that bubbles up in you that you want to share? That thing you want to fix in the world? The hearts you want to warm? The song YOU wanna sing?
Start today. Write it down. Take a photo. Share it. Send a letter. Ask for a coffee with someone who intimidates and inspires you. Do the thing that’s on your heart and watch the world change. And your smile become brighter with every gutsy move you make.
xoxo
- Melinda
p.s. Want a book to help you get off your duff and into a slice of your destiny, with a whole lot less agony than you thought? Check out The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins. It’s available in print and also on Audible. I listen to it at least once a month, and especially when I feel stuck or overwhelmed. #gamechanger. Mel Robbins is compassionate and compelling and dang awesome.
