Hi everyone! While I was perusing the comments (from lots of unique starting points?!) and chuckling at the irony that they’re all hitting only those posts that others have commented on (I’ve written tons more than these), I was struck by how everyone is trying to reach out and touch someone. No matter what the reason, it’s good when you get acknowledgement that someone out there is actually hearing you. And I think that this is what is really missing in our world of today. With so many people trying to be heard in social media and media in general, they’re looking for ways to reach out from wherever they can to leave a visible mark on the ether wall of voices that says “I was here!”. After all, that’s how graffiti got its true start. Even the cavemen and every person since have done it.
Here’s my thought: Find your voice and use it to inspire while being creative.
Instead of using the tried and true methods that will garner momentary popularity but probably little else, find those words that are inside you to create something new and different. It doesn’t matter that your expressions might seem clumsy to you, as long as you put everything that you’ve got into each one you choose.
Look at the wood grain above. Even nature has an inner rhythm that beats on the drum of life. No two grains will ever look the same because each tree has different experiences. Yes, even trees have voices! Isn’t it beautiful and inspiring?
Writers have played with words for their entire lives, and learned that inner rhythm that allows the prose to flow freely. That’s the key: Don’t force it. They also know that the rhythm is always changing. Sometimes that rhythm might be choppy instead of smooth. Look at music today. There are so many different types of sound and each one is unique and powerful. But the sounds that make us want to move are the ones that drive right down to the middle of you. Those rhythms are the natural motions of life. So find that rhythm inside you and send it out to the world in a unique way that leaves a meaningful mark saying, “Hey world, look at what I’ve got!” Chances are that there’s an audience waiting for it. And once you’ve done it a single time, then keep repeating until you’ve built something new and inspiring. Guess what, you’re on your way to innovating. Don’t listen to the grumble about lack of innovation, because there’s plenty of innovating going on everywhere. It’s just that many aren’t noticing it.
By the way, don’t limit your ability to express your message. Your voice doesn’t have to be made up of words. Words just happen to be my strength. Use your strength, whether it’s art, music, dance, or whatever. That’s what creativity is all about: no limitations.
One final note: Be thoughtful, because what you put out will come back to you many times over. This isn’t an easy process because you have to be dedicated over a long period of time. Once you lose the dedication, then you’ll have lost your voice. And that would be a shame!
