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Audrey JoAnn | Content and Copy Writer

Compelling Copy for Female Founders

THE BIGGEST LIE

December 6, 2016

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A whole slew of people in the creative realm, maybe even everyone, allows themselves to believe a debilitating lie, and the lie is that your pursuit — be it blogging, writing a book, taking award-winning photographs, or penning songs — is consumed by enough talent already. There’s this littler whisper in our brains that shows up when we’re working on a project that tells us, in more or less words, that this pursuit is already way over-saturated, so go kick rocks.

You might think hearing voices in your head would make someone insane, but au contraire, I think it’s totally NORMAL for creatives. And we must somehow acknowledge Mr. Lie-telling Voice, tell him “Thanks for your input,” and then ignore him and continue on with the work.

Imagine if a kid who wanted to be a doctor got to college and his biology professor told him, “You really shouldn’t go this route. There are hundreds of thousands of doctors in the world already. No one will need you.” Obviously, that would probably never happen, unless the professor is off his rocker.

But so many of us in the left-brain world get talked out of pursuing our creative goals because there is so much like them out there already. I was talking with my mom recently about a book, “Love Warrior” by Glennon Doyle Menton, that she just finished reading. (Let’s be honest. Everyone is reading this book right now. Thanks, Oprah.) She was telling me how taken she was by the raw, no-holds-barred, devastatingly honest account of this woman’s tumultuous life.

And I kept thinking how my mom’s own story isn’t so dissimilar.

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My mom’s father was killed in a car accident when she was 11. She dropped out of high school so she could go to college (… who does that?). She married my dad, who was in medical school, and worked three jobs to support him as he did his residency.

They had four kids in the span of five years (WOOF), while moving all over the country for his school and work, and as a new doctor, my dad had to be gone a lot, so she raised us almost singlehandedly. Later on, some really unpleasant stuff (being mild with my word choice, here) went down, and my parents entered the divorce that never ends, practically.

I watched my mom’s world get turned upside down and shaken viciously for several years nonstop. And, now, she’s the strongest, purest of heart, most mentally tough fighter for all things good that I can call to mind.

This woman has got a story to tell, right?

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Yet, during our conversation, my mom talked about how she’s read such similar accounts to her own, including “Love Warrior.” Although she’s talked for years about writing a book (she used to want to write one called “Men And Their Dumb-sticks,” WHICH I STILL THINK IS A NEW YORK TIMES-BESTSELLER IDEA), she expressed nervousness that she’d be reiterating someone else’s story. The “it’s been done, so I can’t do it” mentality, which I am oh-so-familiar with.

To which I said — totally unbiased, of course — “You are wrong.” I love how being adult now allows me to tell my mom that. Anytime I tried that when I was 7, it was just an uphill battle. Now, she actually listened.

My own story with this blog and other creative endeavors has been influenced by the over-saturation lie, too. In the past ten years, I’ve enviously watched blogging become a realistic career choice, where people actually make a living sharing the things they adore and creating a community on a website and social media outlets. (Twenty years ago, I’m pretty sure our parents and grandparents wouldn’t have been able to catch their breath between laughter at the thought of that.)

What made me so special to think my words and stories and thoughts deserve a place in that market that is so full of so many talented, worthy bloggers? This is the question I’ve asked myself lots and lots of times over the last year, until I finally realized (very recently) that the question is pointless.

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Honestly, we need more people to join the mindset that the world is vast, our imaginations collectively as creatives are powerful and so wildly different, and there is no such thing as over-saturation or “too much” in this market, nor in any others. There are thousands of authors out there, and bloggers, and doctors, and entrepreneurs, and artists, and on and on and on.

But there will never be too many.

What sets apart those who are successful in what they do and those who just eventually peter out I believe is this key mindset: My story is worthy, my work is needed, and my voice is uniquely remarkable. I’ve told myself the opposite of that statement, and so has my mom and so have most likely all other creative-minded souls, but it’s a mistruth that we’ve got to stop, starting with a “me first” approach. If your story is similar to someone else’s, that’s great — lucky, even. You already have a built-in audience who read that other story and who will have an automatic interest in yours. Spin it into a positive, and you, and your story/blog/creative endeavor, will find something really awesome when you start and continue your work.

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DRESS // SWEATER (similar) // BOOTS // BAG (similar) // DROP NECKLACE // TRIANGLE CHOKER (similar) // LIPSTICK (in “Allusive”)

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Welcome! I'm Audrey, and I adore connecting with female founders and telling their stories in a way that matters & lasts for years to come.

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audskelton

Who do you think was more excited about this day t Who do you think was more excited about this day trip out to the coast... us or Wallace? 😅😂 I love them. Also, I can’t get over the burp cloth on John’s shoulder. Ya know, just in case. #newparentlife
One hour, just us two in our backyard with a big c One hour, just us two in our backyard with a big charcuterie board, a deck of cards, a couple glasses of rosé, and no baby monitor. 🤎

The first week of Wallace’s life? I ached even being in another room from him (#hormones). I was a wreck of emotions and had legitimate baby tunnel vision... preeeetty much nothing else mattered. But things have been balancing out this past week, and today was so needed.

My mom is in town all month and watched Wally for us so we could have some time just us two—yep, in the backyard because of shelter in place restrictions from COVID. (Plus let’s be real... I’m not quite ready for an out-of-the-house date yet anyway. 😂)

As much as I desire to be a present + loving mama and ambitious business owner, it’s just as important to me to prioritize our marriage with little moments like this to just be in each other’s presence (and not just talk about burping and swaddling and bedtime routines, like most of our recent convos).

Here’s to (almost) 2 weeks of being parents, @the_beermonger. I think we’ll do okay.
My two favorite guys in the world. 🤍🌎 My two favorite guys in the world. 🤍🌎
Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands without a bump. 👐🏼 Wallace, trying to figure out what we’re doing out of the house. 🤨

First family walk in the books! All of 10 minutes. 🤪 (Also, does anyone else notice the rainbow over Wally?... My heart. 🌈🥺)
1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & mos 1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & most rewarding week of my life. Babies’ sleep schedules, y’all. They are not for the faint of heart.

Wallace is hitting all his milestones, has learned the alphabet, and is picking up Latin. Just kidding. But he CAN poop 3 times in an hour and a half 😎, and he eats like a champ, is so strong that we prefer to tag team diaper changes for now, and makes the sweetest, cutest noises all day long. (And night.) Like even his cry is cute. 😩

One of my friends called this time the “wet weeks”: urine, breast milk, spit up, night sweats, tears, blood, more tears. It’s a lot, and it’s temporary. So even in the hard moments, we are reminding ourselves that the hardest things are often the best things. 

And this really has been the best thing.

So, so thankful for a hands-on husband who’s been so involved in everything... there’s something indescribable about watching your partner care for your child and step into a big, new role like this so gracefully. And we are thankful for ALL of the support, near and far (... mostly far), from our family and friends and coworkers. What a week... here’s to continuing to figure it all out together as a family. 😌
At 5 a.m. my water broke and at 3:44 p.m. our worl At 5 a.m. my water broke and at 3:44 p.m. our worlds and hearts were changed forever. Everything in between was a gritty, fast-moving tidal wave of emotion, pain, instinct, and a kind of love I never could’ve imagined.

Welcome, Wallace Ronal Skelton. 🤎 You kept us waiting until you decided, very quickly, you’d like to be here. I’m still in disbelief that you are ours. 

January 4, 2021 • 7 lbs 4 oz • 20.5 inches • Sweet as can be.
Well, this baby friend doesn’t exactly have our Well, this baby friend doesn’t exactly have our sense of punctuality which realllly threw me for a loop after thinking & saying for months that I was certain he/she would get here early. I’ve drank 3 boxes of raspberry leaf tea in 3 weeks, walked dozens of miles, eaten way too many dates, done hundreds of squats and bench step-ups... and now I’m surrendering. You come whenever you feel like it, little one. I’m comfy enough and can still sleep through the night (minus a bathroom break or two) so we will just keep on waiting and letting you teach us our first lesson of parenthood: PATIENCE. I knew I could always use some more of it. 😉 #40weekspregnant #pregnancy
scenes from our blissful, muddy, much-needed morni scenes from our blissful, muddy, much-needed morning hike. ☀️🍂 in a year that’s felt like 5, getting outside whenever we can has been my favorite way to reset. so thankful to live in such gorgeous surroundings!
our first and probably only christmas just us thre our first and probably only christmas just us three! quiet and simple and a little sad but mostly filled with hope and gratitude. hope yours is special in all the best ways. 🤍
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