If you’ve ever worried about what other people think, struggled with negative feedback, or being on receiving end of opinions that feel a little wonky, here is an excellent practice for you.
Pick your favourite book. The book that you clutched close to your chest when you read a page that took your breath away.
A book that made you wonder how someone could write such incredible things, be so masterful with words
A book that made you think, ‘I think this book just changed my life.’
Then:
Go on GoodReads. Search for that same book. And look at the reviews.
Let your eyes float over things such as:
“Well, there’s a few hours of my life I’ll never get back”
or
“What is this author on?! It felt like she was going somewhere and then she lost me. Seems quite self-absorbed”
or
“What a load of drivel”
And you stand, with your book in hand, wondering if you had, indeed, read the same book because surely, SURELY, they can’t have read what you read.
It just can’t be.
But then you smile and hold the book even closer
and realise that some people are your people
and some people aren’t your people
and thank goodness that person took the time to write those words and share them, because in your universe, they landed like
the
first
blossom
in
spring.
They were heaven.
The delicious risk we take with using our voice.
That it’s not for everyone, but it is for someone.
And that’s really the whole point.
xx Jane
Bonus extra: Here’s a bird I drew today instead of being on social media. Whenever I’m drawn into random conversations on the socials, I sketch instead.
I can’t recommend it more.