Bulls***

Everyone’s tired of the bulls***.

I’m tired of the bulls***.

Everyone’s tired of the bulls*** that says we have to act a certain way, think a certain way, write a certain way, be a certain way.

And I don’t blame everyone.

I don’t blame myself.

Throughout my education and professional career, I have been taught and vivaciously worked on branding myself as who I want to be.

A writer, a marketing strategist, a thought leader. And I am, or hope to be, all of those things at some point in my life… because that is what I love to do. Because that is what allows me to live my purpose.

Yet what often gets lost in the constant need, the constant search for a certain identity, is authenticity.

We leave out the spilled coffee, the stress over bills, the self-conscious thoughts – we are left with a buttoned up version of ourselves (fake it ‘til you make it is a strong key to success after all).

This buttoned up version is generally what we present. And while there is a time and place for different things, we often get caught up in striving to be a certain version of ourselves.

The perfect version.

The version we think the world needs to see.

I have often thought about undertaking this blog as my business. Because, how great would it be if I could write my thoughts and help others all day every day, right?

But I don’t know that I want to. Or at least, I don’t know that I want to take the steps necessary to get there.

BRANDING myself into a thought leader on a specific subject, writing on certain trends, timing my posts…is that really what I want this to be?

I write as though I am speaking. I (attempt to) write poetically and from an artistic perspective. I write when I’m inspired or feel the need to say something. Add in the marketing and strategy that I happen to do for a living, and I don’t know that it’s what I want it to be anymore.

I don’t know that it’s me anymore.

But, as per usual, I was overthinking it.

I realized that that is exactly what marketing is, or that is what marketing should be.

Being authentic.

Being real.

Not being someone or something that you are not.

That is what makes you successful. That is what will make you, your business, or whatever the hell else you want to do successful.

Being authentic.

When people tell me that they look up to me for my professionalism or (perceived) success at a decently young age, I generally say thank you….but then I laugh.

Why?

I have no idea what I’m doing.

I’m getting what I need to be done, done each day. I’m dreaming big (and changing those dreams at least weekly). I’m striving to live my purpose, and I’m failing often.

So, I’m not going to sit here and pretend to know it all, or pretend that I am an expert in anything. Because the fact is, I’m not.

I have so many lessons to continuously learn. I have so many lessons that I need to remind myself of that I forget each and every day.

Branding, marketing, buttoning up – it’s all important in success. It’s all important in allowing people to be successful in what they do, which is, in fact, why I chose this profession in the first place.

So, by all means, brand the shit out of yourself.

Just don’t let it suppress your authenticity.

Don’t let it suppress you.

Together, let’s be real. Be real in our stories, real in our visions, real in our hopes and real in our dreams.

Because if we aren’t, then I have no idea what we’re doing (not that I do anyway).

P.S. Please remember the time and place comment. I am by no means telling you to chug a mimosa at 8am at the office or share every bit of your thoughts and life with everyone around you. You’re smart, though, I’m sure you’ve figured that much out.