Being a writer is such a scary thing. Every time I publish a piece of writing, I’m putting my thoughts on the line and opening myself up to rejection. It’s nerve-wracking, but exhilarating at the same time. However, for someone like me, who never imagined she’d become a writer, it’s all the more scary.
Growing up, I didn’t respond well to constructive criticism. I was raised in an environment where achievements had to be nothing short of perfect; mistakes weren’t allowed. Feelings and emotions weren’t part of the equation either. So I grew up always second guessing myself and struggling with any sort of criticism, whether it be constructive or not. I didn’t get much of an opportunity to express myself and discover who I really was and ultimately, what I wanted to be.
But two years ago, after I started blogging about personal development, I gained a new-found confidence. I found the courage to show the world what I really thought; how and why the world needed changing. Blogging was so rewarding for me that I wanted to go beyond this medium alone. I had a major epiphany and realised I was born to write. Now I’m working as a freelance writer and I couldn’t be happier.
Comparing myself to others
But there are days I still struggle with criticism. I still struggle with being compared to others; other parents, other mothers, other wives, other writers. I’m still human, after all.
As a writer, it’s so easy for me to compare my work against the work of others. There have been times I’ve found myself thinking along the lines of:
“Is my writing really that good or am I just fooling myself?”
“It’s great that my work is inspirational, but should I be trying to write in a similar style to other people?”
“I wish I could write like that.”
Whether you’re a writer or not, you’ve probably been faced with this comparison. You’ve probably questioned what you can bring to this world.
Focusing on my uniqueness
But I think this comparison needs to stop. There will always be attributes of people that we aspire to have, but we can’t focus so intently on these attributes that we neglect what we have to offer.
I may never be the writer who uses beautiful, flowery language and magically sets the scene for the reader. I may never be the writer who uses technical language that reflects a background in the corporate world.
However, I am unique because I am me.
Photo Credit: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I am the sort of writer who can inspire people to take action with their lives.
I am the sort of writer who leads by example and encourages people to be kind to others.
I am the sort of writer who can move my readers to tears.
I am the sort of writer who writes from the heart and isn’t afraid to do so.
That is the sort of writer that I am. And that’s the writer that I’m proud to be.
Being unique is important
We all need to forget those comparisons that we make against each other.
Forget the reasons why someone else is ‘better’ than you. Forget the reasons why you’re not good enough.
Just focus on your uniqueness. Focus on being you.
You may not bring to the world what anyone else can, but that’s exactly the point. You’re bringing something different to what anyone else can offer.
The world needs people who can make a difference in their own way. To leave their mark.
So whether you’re a writer like me, or working an office job, or in whichever field, you can make a difference. Be you. Acknowledge your weaknesses, but don’t forget about your strengths as well.
As important as it is for us to grow, we mustn’t forget the great person that we already are at this point in time.
It’s important to remember how truly unique we really are.
Thuy Wood (formerly known as Thuy Yau) is a freelance writer, resume/cover letter writer and Youth Worker living in Perth, Australia. She loves to share her own personal experiences about overcoming adversity, as she believes that human beings are more capable than they realise. She writes to make a positive difference in the world and to inspire others to learn from themselves and their own experiences. Her writing has been discussed on radio, won writing contests, appeared on The Huffington Post UK and major Australian sites such as news.com.au, SMH, Kidspot and Essential Kids. She has just completed her first book – a memoir - and is on the search for a publisher.
This was a touching post. I agree that it is easy to get lost in comparing oneself to others and feeling worse because of it. All you can do is be you and try to be the best you possible. Don’t strive to be like another, strive to be like you.
Keep up the great work. This post helped reinforce my belief in being authentic.
That’s exactly it, Sebastian. All of us have our own strengths and weaknesses, we mustn’t forget that we all bring something different to the mix. These differences are what the world needs. I’m glad the post was helpful. Thanks so much for your kind words! 🙂
Another great post! I have always lived my life as myself and never try to be anyone else. Do your own thing and stay a unique individual. Too many people try to be something, or someone, they are not. It usually leads to living a lie and not being happy. Plus, it’s more fun to be a bit different. Most everyone else is boring!
Phil
http://www.blog.theregularguynyc.com
So true, Phil! That’s great to hear that you’ve always been an individual. I found that when I became more open with who I was, the more accepting people were of me. It was as if my confidence had attracted me to them. Thanks for your thoughts and for reading! 🙂
[…] to these experiences, I really struggled with my self-esteem. I really struggled with believing that I could be a […]
[…] to these experiences, I really struggled with my self-esteem. I really struggled with believing that I could be a […]
True Thuy Yau and Phil!
Being oneself discovers the hidden talents of the self.
I have practised doing things quite differently from the usual way they’re done, and I have found that the results have been better than the former ones. I have, then,congratulated myself.
Wow, Joseph, that’s wonderful! It is so much more important to live as we feel is right – as opposed to comparing ourselves to others. Good on you for making that change! Keep up the self growth and thank you for dropping by! 🙂