Choosing To Sing My Song

“A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.” -Chinese Proverb

A few weeks ago, I was writing some poems. They were sad, short poems each focused around one metaphor and they kind of reminded me of proverbs so I looked up some proverbs to get inspiration. When I read the one above I was instantly slammed so hard with truth. It was a quote I really needed to hear at that moment, because I’ve been trying to work up the courage to start this blog for quite a while now. I’ve always wanted to share a piece of my soul on the Internet because:

a. I think the internet is a really cool, albeit really weird way to connect with people and make a difference in a way you never otherwise could and

b. I think everyone does have something to say that could be valuable to someone else if they care enough to share it, which has been evidenced by the huge amount of people who have become “influencers” via social media and other channels.

These people are just ordinary people living their everyday lives until Instagram or YouTube came along and then suddenly they became celebrities. Isn’t that a weird concept?

While I’m not necessarily aspiring to be a celebrity, there is one thing I’ve noticed from observing people who have built a following online and that is this: Authenticity shines through! As weird and isolating and sometimes unhealthy as social media and online platforms can be, if people are being authentic, honest and vulnerable, a genuine connection with that human being can be built, which I think is why we are so attracted to these platforms in the first place. I have been ridiculously invested in people’s lives who I’ve never even met or had a conversation with, but because they are authentic and real with their online following, I now have a connection with them, and that is something I find so cool.

That’s the reason why for a long time I’ve wanted to focus on building some kind of online presence, whether it’s a blog, a podcast or a YouTube channel. I wanted to share an authentic piece of me. Because truly in this world of photo shopped fakeness, authenticity is a breath of fresh air to so many people. It can even be a lifesaver to someone who needs it in the form of an encouraging voice telling them they are not alone.

But then fear comes in. Fear questions me, asking me why I think my voice, my thoughts, my authenticity, would be of any value to anybody. Fear tells me nobody is going to want to listen, or nobody is going to like what I put out. Fear screams in my face on a daily basis, and it’s definitely hard not to simply succumb to it, and ignore the voices inside of me that want me to do more with my life.

But that proverb reminded me that like the bird, I don’t need to have an answer or something incredibly valuable and wise to share with my audience. I simply need to have a song. And we all have songs! Every single person on this earth has their own unique inner voice, a collection of thoughts and experiences that make them who they are. We don’t sing our song in order to be heard, we sing it because we are happiest when we are singing! We are happiest when we are living our true, authentic lives and singing the song that was put inside of us. And when other people hear us singing our song, they are inspired to sing their own song and it just keeps growing from there.

So I guess that is the answer to the question, “Why am I starting this blog?” In the past two years of my life, I have had a lot of illusions shattered, which is a normal thing to have happen in the beginning phases of adulthood. I’ve made hard adjustments, and I’ve had a dose of realism fed me by dint of the amazing thing we millennials call “adulting,” Through it all, I’ve let fear take over the creativity that I once freely expressed. I’ve put off putting this blog up publicly as long as I could, but I’m finally taking action. I’m ready to start trying to find my voice again and sharing my authenticity with the world. And even if nobody listens, I will work to keep on singing because I believe nothing in this world will make me happier.