Hitting Send

Hola and welcome to The Summit, my weekly newsletter where I share my unfiltered thoughts on navigating the peaks and valleys of adulthood. From health and relationships to productivity and purpose, consider this newsletter a collection of naive wisdom from a 20-something year old summiting the mountain of life.

Today: Hitting Send

About a month ago I shared this newsletter on my Instagram story - as you would probably know because you most likely came from there 😅. But what you wouldn’t know, is that I spent a good two hours umming and ahing before I shared that story. I think I had the post sitting there, ready to hit send, for over an hour before I grew some cojones. But why? Why was I so scared 😺?

“What if people don’t like my articles or make fun of me? I am no writer or guru, what gives me the right to try something like this? What if I regret it? If people know about it, I won’t be able to back out - what if I run out of things to write about?”

Negative self-talk

We all do it, all the time. So, what did I do? I had a conversation with myself. I answered all the questions logically and methodically from the perspective of the man I want to be. It went something like this:

“What if people don’t like my articles or make fun of me?”

• Who gives a f*ck. Don’t waste time worrying about other people’s opinion. Does this insecure attitude align with your values? Some people will dislike it and make fun of you no matter what you do - accept it and move on.

“I am no writer or guru, what gives me the right to try something like this?”

• What a cop out excuse. Everyone starts somewhere. Acknowledge that you are new to this and trust the process - you’ll get better with time. Imposter syndrome is a normal feeling, but no reason to quit before you’ve even started.

“What if I regret it?”

• What if you regret not doing it? If you put yourself out there honestly, and with good intentions, I highly doubt you will regret anything. You will either go to the moon, or stumble back to Earth knowing that you gave it an honest crack. Either way, you will learn valuable lessons or at least gain a cool story. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. What’s the worst that could happen?

“If people know about it, I won’t be able to back out - what if I run out of things to write about?”

• Woohoo, positive pressure - that’s what we like. Use it. There are literally thousands of things you could write about - if you really want it.

Hitting Send

Moving away from the low-key cringe self-talk, I obviously ended up hitting send. It was very scary, but it was also exhilarating. That feeling of putting yourself out there, of being vulnerable, it’s kind of like sending a risky message. There's a thrill in not knowing how it'll be received.

The response? Overwhelmingly positive! Supportive messages poured in, even from people I hadn't connected with in ages. I like to think it was because my articles were fan-fricken-tastic but really, I think people respect vulnerability and integrity, regardless of the endeavour (this might be a naive take, not sure if I’d get the same support starting an OnlyFans!).

Takeaways

Reflecting on the experience now, these are my personal takeaways for ‘hitting send’ in the future:

1. Have an honest conversation with yourself, not from your perspective but from the perspective of the person you want to be. The person that lives by your core values and mission statement (I introduced this here).

2. Get outside advice. Trusted friends can offer valuable objectivity. When I was questioning my plan, my mates held me accountable 💪.

3. Seek discomfort. I have a lot to say on this, but for now, when tossing up options, push yourself outside of your comfort zone (with reason) because it is the only way you’ll grow.

4. It really ain’t that deep (take this with a grain of salt please). I was reading Stephen Hawking’s Theory of Everything recently and it reminded me that nothing matters. Like really, we are nothing but a spec in the scheme of things, 1 of 8 billion people in the world occupying 1 of a gazillion planets out there. So don’t sweat the small stuff. Not sure if it’s just me, but whenever I feel myself getting worked up, I like to look up to the sky to remind myself that really, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes, a reminder of our own mortality and insignificance is a good way to snap out of a self-absorbed funk.

5. People respect integrity and respond to vulnerability. Stay true to yourself and don’t be afraid to share your passions.

So, Hit Send!

If you're holding back on something creative because of fear, consider this your sign to push forward. The worst that can happen? Not much. The best that can happen? Growth, connection, and the joy of sharing your passion with the world.

Final Shoutout

A friend of mine recently started an Instagram page dedicated to her passion of triathlons (@AmyTrysTris). She was telling me how it was pretty daunting and embarrassing posting videos of herself training, especially when she only had a handful of followers. But she stuck with it, and now, only a few months later, the page has a heap of followers and brands are sending her free gear. I think that is f*cking awesome. She didn’t know at the time, but her courage definitely inspired me to put this blog out there. Because a good attitude, it’s contagious.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to share it with a friend who might also enjoy it; and if you’re the friend, feel free to subscribe here 🙃!

_{As always, if you have any feedback, you can respond to this email! I’d love to hear what you think :)}