The Scariest Thing About it All—a Reflection on Creativity, Business and Life

Photo Credit | Guilherme Stecanella

In life, many things scare us. I’m sure that a lot of us were born fearless, but we had the advantage of (a) hovering parent(s) whose sole job was to protect us from pain. Then soon, there came a time when we were able to sneak past our parental defense only to find what we didn't know existed: pain.

Usually, the pain that gets our attention the most is physical. It gets etched into our brains hard enough for us to know that we never want to experience it again. As we grow, we are introduced to many types of fear. We take some for the road, and we leave some for others to carry—as it doesn’t belong to us. Some fears that make us most vulnerable are not physical but are there in an attempt to protect us from emotional pain. (Letting someone close enough to pierce my soul’s vulnerability just happens to be some “fear-baggage” that I carry personally.)

I grew up in a reserved family, but not overly so. You know the kind where your mom requires you to drop on all fours when someone rings the doorbell. (I know I’m not the only one who has a mother like that). I can hear some of y’all now, “Well yea, nobody needs to know your business.” Trust me, I get it. As I approached adulthood, I experienced several professions (both corporate and creative). I’ve climbed social and economic ladders in various environments without any hiccups from my choice to keeping private. Nothing required me to let anyone into the spaces of my heart; and I especially wasn’t about to allow that without having full trust in who can have such access. Then everything flipped when I decided to embark on the journey of entrepreneurship. 

No matter the type of business, in business ownership you have to realize the vulnerability it requires of you. You get all of the perks of making your own rules and marching to the beat of your own drum. However, with this comes exposing yourself and removing the layers you’ve come so used to carrying. You take a deep dive into creativity to find your unique voice so that you can stand out in a crowd.

Creativity is so beautiful. It lives on the right side of the brain. It’s a free spirit; lit up with passion and sensuality. My sense of humor lives here, along with my vivid imagination. The joy I find when I do what I love flourishes here. The peace I enjoy when I feel a breeze in the air or soft sand between my toes is generated from here. My creativity is the gateway to my most sensitive vulnerability; it provides direct access to my soul. 

Sharing this creativity requires me to be true to myself and to strip down all the inhibitions that are usually covered up for the sake of privacy. In order to recognize and share my unique strengths, I must be willing to bare my weaknesses—and my soul.

Funny enough, it’s my fear that gives strength to my entrepreneurial purpose. I am the owner of an inspirational streetwear brand that sets out to celebrate uniqueness, revolutionize mindsets, and demand more doing. I’m building a community that speaks truth into ourselves as opposed to believing the myths that seem to easily catch fire in the world. A community that recognizes self-worth is key and realizes the purpose that is beyond each of us. 

A mantra that I use and try to share with everyone struggling to find or fulfill their purpose: 
I AM ____ THEREFORE I MUST (do)_________. 

All of this is to say that while opening up and being vulnerable has been scary—and is something that I’m continuously learning to move through—my true fear is: not trying. 

So I charge you with this: be afraid of being “too afraid to try.” Imagine if you were to try but failed. (That sucks, but you can bounce back and learn from your experience). Now imagine if you never try, therefore you’ll never have the chance to succeed. (That produces regret. You can’t redo something that you never did in the first place) Fear is temporary, but regret lasts forever. So, get out there and create your destiny or learn from your experiences. Most of all, keep letting your creativity shine bright like a diamond.

Let’s not let fear stop us from discovering the greatness within us.

Peace
LaVonna