Fearful Symmetry

“Somehow,
allowing myself
to fail, or to give up,
is admitting defeat.
Laying down
and saying,
‘You win.'”

Fears are normal, especially when you’re creating something. There will always be those fears, there will always be doubts. When I started writing, I was so scared that no one would like my words, or understand where I’ve been and where I’m going, but that’s not the case, is it? I followed the practice of “Fake it till you make it,” and in the time since I’ve started, those fears are less potent. There are times I’m down because I can’t always do what I feel I need to do, or I feel I’ve somehow come up short. But I keep going. Somehow, allowing myself to fail, or to give up, is admitting defeat. Laying down and saying, “You win.” But, if I do, it will be giving power back to the man that took my childhood from me and even after his death, still haunts me. Whatever reason you want to make art, you do it from the heart, you do it because you must. You’re incomplete without it. And, the longer you deny yourself that release, the worse you will feel. Listen to those whispers that tell you to create, and fake it through your fear until you no longer feel so paralyzed by it.

© Sarah Doughty