Composting Creative Ideas
Nothing is lost or wasted.
After ten years of moving my way through the “real world” as an artist, writer, and entrepreneur, I would be lying if I didn’t admit to having hundreds of terrible ideas along the way.
I have tried many tactics and some were flat out terrible.
In hindsight, I shake my head as I look back at how pathetic or misguided I’ve been at times.
The beauty of said humiliation and self-degradation?
I see that I have grown enough to look back with disgust. And the trick? Laugh at yourself.
You didn’t know better then. (Obviously! Yikes.)
But now you do.
So take the very beginning of your ideas that are worth saving and think of them as arich compost that have festered for years to bring you nutrients to nourish your latest and greatest ideas.
Once upon a time I went to a somatic event for women that helped us learn toi physically use body language to say things like, “NO!”
We practiced having strangers walk up to us and ask us questions, “Hey, I know you have already worked overtime this week, but can you please come in on your day off to help?”
Our job was to put a hand up and say, “No.” with conviction.
The coach in the room looked at me and shook her head.
“I don’t believe you. You got run right over.”
After decades of people pleasing and putting my head down, shoulders slumped, eyes cast downwards… I knew she was right.
My whole journey has been about learning to stand up for myself and extract the power within me I always sensed but was too much of a pansy to own.
At the end of a four hour workshop that brought up so many emotions and memories of the past: of being bullied and picked on, taking it, silent, shy, and afraid to stand up for myself… At the end of the workshop we were asked to speak about our experience.
I said it was amazing compost for my future.
The coaches looked genuinely offended. “So you’re saying this was shit?”
Totally missed my analogy.
Did I IMMEDIATELY become strong and unshakeable and able to stand in my power with no internal barriers? Absolutely not. Like most things worth doing, this was the start of a journey that would take me many months (many years, to be honest) to finally master.
Instead of seeing your meek and unimpressive first efforts as “shit”, compost is gross, nasty garbage and crap (sure) but it serves a PURPOSE, eventually transforming into something rich and full of nutrients to grow something strong, powerful, and gorgeous in your garden of skills and abilities.
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