Do you ever look for approval from others about your new ideas or in what you are creating? It’s as if our own opinion of our of ourselves doesn’t matter. When was a time when you sought the approval of others?
Last week I had this brilliant idea for a new photography project. At least, it was absolutely brilliant to me, for about ten minutes. The new idea raced through my head as I thought about the possibilities and the ways in which I could help people, but then doubt settled its nasty little self in. I started searching to see if others were already doing my new idea, and then slowly my confidence went down, so I started to also seek approval in what I would like to accomplish. Stay tuned on how what kind of approval I found.
I have been searching for anyone to validate my new idea. Is this good enough? Is this something that others would want or need? Would I be able to make a difference? What if nobody wants to work with me? What if? What if? What if? Ugh! No more what if’s! It took confidence in myself to be my own validator of my ideas. To carry me out of the “what if’s” and back into the “I can’s,” I kept thinking about how younger me would have ran with the idea without looking at who was in front of me because I would be doing something for the good of others, so why should this be any different as an adult?
Why is it that the older we get, the more insecure that we feel about our own abilities? Why do we seek approval from others or want to hear from others that what we have to say or want to do is good? I don’t, and neither do you. The most important opinion out there about your ideas is your own. Your ideas are magical and deserve to come to life.
Why do you think you need that approval from others?
Sometimes we seek approval through others we don’t even know. We seek out ways to validate our idea or to see if others have done it before. When I did this, it had the opposite effect. The more I looked through others’ work and projects, the more I saw what beauty they were creating and how I would never be able to live up to that. However, as I continue to gather my thoughts and validate my own ideas through positive self-talk, the more this new flame of excitement stays lit, and that fire is gorgeous and bright and warming to my soul.
Whatever starts your soul on fire, do whatever it takes to keep it there, and it starts with you believing in yourself without the approval of others.
The next time you feel like seeking out your own self-fulfilling prophecy by asking others or searching the internet, instead fulfil your life by taking action, because that is real. We do not get anywhere from trying to see if someone has done it before us or if someone is doing it better, what matters is that we just go and do it. Take your biggest, brightest flame and tend to that fire so that others notice you and what you are doing. Shine bright, my creative friends, and know that you have so many gifts to bring to this world, starting with that one, small but mighty, idea.
