"They’re already doing it well enough. The world doesn’t need your voice." - I struggle with this a lot, workwise. I always think there's an expert that knows more or someone with more lived experience than me so why should I talk about Thing X. I found myself shying away from speaking up about things or just turning into a curation machine - collecting the thoughts and findings of others without ever mentioning why I found it interesting in the first place. I did a cohort called Present Yourself with Women Talk Design and it was all about public speaking, preparing, crafting your talk, etc. But the thing that stuck out the most was the overall message of "your voice matters". I'm trying to let go of thinking I have to be the 'best' or most informed/most respected at something in order to talk about it. No one else can be me exactly so by default, I'm already the best me there is! That's gotta count for something haha
This is so hard to break through! But your voice does matter! And there will always be someone who knows more, can create "better" things, and can present in a more cohesive way. That's true for all of us. BUT!! People will resonate with the way you do it, too!
Not to bring it back to music lol but I think this metaphor works quite nicely. I was watching a video today where someone was talking about how pitch is only *this much* (like small, between my fingers amount) of what makes great singing. There's so much that goes into it but we all get laser focused on hitting the right notes because it's tangible and measurable. But there's style, emotion, tone, so many other considerations that we resonate with when someone sings.
Which is just like presenting/talking about things. Telling the right info is only a part of it. Your story, the way you speak, the words you use, the way you put everything together is like no one else and that's what's so vital. The correct info and knowledge is only a chunk, it's important but not the only thing. No one else, especially not AI, can do the things like you do :)
*ME! By taylor swift starts playing in the background*
Anytime I worry that I am making too much noise, I just remember men don’t worry about this and they post dumb shit all the fucking time without a second thought and get rewarded for it. The bar to do better than them is p low tbh.
"I lost something I loved because other people brought me down." - Oof.... This part! That's what I love about kids before society knocks the weird and curious out of them. They try shit just because. No filter. No expectations. No worrying about others. I hope you get back into writing and playing music in a way that brings you joy, no pressure :)
Kids have this shit figured out lol. I really wish I could go back to that mindset and forget about the rest of the world. It's so sad what adults pressure them into to "conform" and whatnot.
I have gotten back into it a little bit!! I think what I've realized is holding me back now is I would love to better train my ears and learn a little music theory so I can spend less time second guessing and more time knowing where I'm going. But I've had some great breakthroughs and light bulb moments so it's been some exciting progress regardless :)
Thanks for the great reminder, Amy! James and I are getting back into volleyball and it's okay that we aren't to the level that we used to be; it's just more for enjoyment, exercise and movement now 😊
"They’re already doing it well enough. The world doesn’t need your voice." - I struggle with this a lot, workwise. I always think there's an expert that knows more or someone with more lived experience than me so why should I talk about Thing X. I found myself shying away from speaking up about things or just turning into a curation machine - collecting the thoughts and findings of others without ever mentioning why I found it interesting in the first place. I did a cohort called Present Yourself with Women Talk Design and it was all about public speaking, preparing, crafting your talk, etc. But the thing that stuck out the most was the overall message of "your voice matters". I'm trying to let go of thinking I have to be the 'best' or most informed/most respected at something in order to talk about it. No one else can be me exactly so by default, I'm already the best me there is! That's gotta count for something haha
This is so hard to break through! But your voice does matter! And there will always be someone who knows more, can create "better" things, and can present in a more cohesive way. That's true for all of us. BUT!! People will resonate with the way you do it, too!
Not to bring it back to music lol but I think this metaphor works quite nicely. I was watching a video today where someone was talking about how pitch is only *this much* (like small, between my fingers amount) of what makes great singing. There's so much that goes into it but we all get laser focused on hitting the right notes because it's tangible and measurable. But there's style, emotion, tone, so many other considerations that we resonate with when someone sings.
Which is just like presenting/talking about things. Telling the right info is only a part of it. Your story, the way you speak, the words you use, the way you put everything together is like no one else and that's what's so vital. The correct info and knowledge is only a chunk, it's important but not the only thing. No one else, especially not AI, can do the things like you do :)
*ME! By taylor swift starts playing in the background*
Anytime I worry that I am making too much noise, I just remember men don’t worry about this and they post dumb shit all the fucking time without a second thought and get rewarded for it. The bar to do better than them is p low tbh.
Last year "what would a mediocre, palm-colored, cis het man do?" was a nice reminder whenever I was about to cock-block myself lol
You beat me to the ME! reference lol. But this is so true! Men don't worry about this shit at all.
"I lost something I loved because other people brought me down." - Oof.... This part! That's what I love about kids before society knocks the weird and curious out of them. They try shit just because. No filter. No expectations. No worrying about others. I hope you get back into writing and playing music in a way that brings you joy, no pressure :)
Kids have this shit figured out lol. I really wish I could go back to that mindset and forget about the rest of the world. It's so sad what adults pressure them into to "conform" and whatnot.
I have gotten back into it a little bit!! I think what I've realized is holding me back now is I would love to better train my ears and learn a little music theory so I can spend less time second guessing and more time knowing where I'm going. But I've had some great breakthroughs and light bulb moments so it's been some exciting progress regardless :)
Thanks for the great reminder, Amy! James and I are getting back into volleyball and it's okay that we aren't to the level that we used to be; it's just more for enjoyment, exercise and movement now 😊
Ooooh that sounds so fun!! And totally valid to play for those things rather than being good! Takes the pressure off, too and makes it more fun 🥰