LESS EGO / MORE SOUL

The saddest thing in the world, is meeting a talented individual who silenced their passion and failed to share their gift with the world because they were told one too many times that “it’s too competitive out there – you’ll never make it.”

All I want to do with my life is write and travel and I am dedicated to making that dream a reality.

However, I remember when I was just finishing high-school, considering my options for uni, Mum took me along to one of those orientation nights and we had a chat to one of the university people about different courses and career possibillities. She asked me what course preferences I was considering pursuing. I told her something creative – maybe to do with writing.

She replied with: ‘that’s a very competitive industry, do you have a back up?’

Me: ‘yeah I was thinking about advertising’

Her: (now frowning) “Hmm…another competitive industry…do you have a third choice?”

Me: “well I’m interested in Fashion…or maybe Psychology”.

In her world, everything was too competitive, too risky, too scary. “Better find a more stable job.” Well, no thank you. Truth be told, most creative industries (if not all) are competitive. The beautiful thing about this is that everyone who ‘makes it’ generally are there because they truly want to be.

I see many creatives stuck in this gray area, driven with passion and the desire to be who they are – CREATORS – but shepherded in the wrong direction by society. As in the conversation above, it’s sad, but obvious that a big problem with schools and institutions is that unless you ‘prove’ yourself as a stand-out talent from the beginning, no-one is really that prepared to encourage you to pursue your passions for fear of your failure. It’s great that they are not fostering any illusions, but on the flip, we are all afraid and insecure of failure – we don’t need to be reminded of it.

Interestingly, I’ve noticed that the creative minds and successes I truly admire have rarely begun their careers on a masterpiece. They may have built their name, their success on something great, but you have to remember that before that there was a lot of trial and error. Talent can be learned (or at least refined), you just need to be open to learn. Success is the result of learning from past failures.

Below, I’ve posted a TED video featuring Elizabeth Gilbert – author of the amazing journey Eat. Pray. Love. She’s talking about these things, though far more eloquently (ha). I would really recommend viewing this, as she is such an interesting speaker.

So if you can bring yourself to turn away from facebook or twitter for just a moment…Enjoy.

You were awesome.

Read more about Snow here.

Greece was it. A place of life. Real life. Where you go to connect with it; the freedom, the energy that drives you.

It taught me to follow my heart and my instincts and to satisfy my urges unashamedly. From skinny dipping (absolutely naked) to finding passion with another soul, I was liberated. Away from all the judging eyes of people who think they know you.

They know nothing really.

A home is protected – governed by society. There are expectations. There is order.

I want havoc. I want uncertainty. I want to understand my ability to choose. Not feel I should do what others think is best for me – they have no idea.

This is my life and I intend to make the most of it. Reality is what you choose to remember; your life as you decide it to be. Fact.

I’m young, I’m restless and unashamedly relentless. The world is mine. Just as it is yours. But do you have it in you to explore it on you own? To push the limits of your being and realize your full potential?

Act now, apologize later.

I’M GOING TO SUCK THIS OYSTER DRY.

Family, remember that I love you and I am so grateful for all that you have given me.

Reader, you may take me as you wish. I am a bird. I am free. At the end of the day if there is one think that I have learnt about life, it is this:

EVERYTHING IS NOTHING. EVERYTHING IS REPLACEABLE. NOTHING REALLY MATTERS, SO GO YOUR HARDEST!