Where your passion lingers..

By definition passion is a strong and barely controllable emotion. Passion is when you put more energy into something than is required. People often tell me that they are envious about how passionate I am, but when you really look at what passion is— everybody has it in them.  Harriet Tubman said it best, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

For those who have yet to read the book I Am That Girl that Alexis wrote—do it, especially if you are struggling to find your passions in life. We all imagine having that dream job, the kind of hobbies that make us feel happy and fulfilled, and to feel comfortable in our own skin. These things come from a place inside of you where your passion lingers—find it.

My passion consumes me. Whenever I have a free minute I find myself writing, working on IATG things, reading, business planning. These are the things that I care about, the things that give me energy, the things that I need to plan my life around. Often times I find myself thinking too deeply about how to make this happen. I always feel like I need to have the answers—need to know how to get from A to B in the most effective way. Life doesn’t work that way though. Life is full of surprises and obstacles and it is impossible to predict every little thing along the way. I have to push my perfectionist tendencies aside and put positive thoughts out there and trust that my hard work will get me where I need to be. That is when I am truly consumed by my passions. 

#heartclaps

This weekend is the first time that I ever really believed that it truly is okay not to be okay. I have never been so emotionally drained and sleep deprived—and I am so happy about both of those things because I experienced the best few days of my life!

This weekend also taught me that I no longer have the energy for meaningless friendships, forced interactions, and negative conversations. The people that you surround yourself with are a direct reflection of yourself and you deserve to be around people who feed you energy and encourage your passions. To be completely honest, I was so nervous to spend the weekend with a bunch of “strangers” and even more so was surprised that I left there loving every single one of them. I can honestly say that these girls will be my forever friends. We know each other on a more intimate level than most people ever do and I trust them—huge coming from a girl riddled with trust issues.  

I learned that it is okay to show your feelings and to never ever apologize for them—this goes for guys & girls. That all any of us really wants is to be accepted for all of our faults and that crying doesn’t make you weak—in fact it shows your strength. That you own everything that has ever happened to you and it is okay to share your stories. My entire life I have tried to hold my feelings in to the point that I often make myself sick. I have refrained from sharing things that were happening in my life on so many occasions because I didn’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. I didn’t cry. I still don’t cry much, but I’m really working on that.

I have no way to put my feelings into words about how much the I Am That Girl Retreat meant to me, but I do know that it changed my world—all of our worlds. Thank you to every single person who helped make this possible. Thank you to those who donated & shared my campaign. Thank you to the IATG team. Thank you to Jack, Audrey, & Sequoia for capturing our stories. Thank you to the IATG Board for mentoring us. Thank you to all of the incredible sponsors including GoPro, erincondren.com, & Dormify.

It is because of you that I commit to being authentic, because only then will I truly love myself.

“I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity & her flaming self respect. And it’s these things I’d believe in even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn’t all she should be.” – F. Scoot Fitzgerald

Strange is relative...

Every kid learns the phrase “never speak to strangers”—and for good reason. There is a lot of bad in the world, so much that parents try to shelter their children from the unknown in order to keep them safe. Personally, my mom reminded me of these words every time I left the house when I was young, but my dad had a different take on things.

He had a very rough childhood, to say the least. He grew up on the streets and was involved in gang activity at the all too young age of twelve. The “strangers” on the streets became his family. When my brother and I were growing up he warned us of all of the dangers that we might face in the world, but he also taught us to always give people a chance to prove their worth. My father is to this day one of the most accepting people I know—and because of this I am able to make friends/connections everywhere I go.

 

Being accepting of all types of people does not mean that you have to like them or understand them—it just means keeping an open mind & trying to understand their story. I visited home recently and my mom said “you never were very good at avoiding strangers, but it works for you.”  She said this because I recently got the opportunity to meet my favorite hip hop artist, Logic, all because of a “stranger” who read my blog. The stranger was Logic himself and he happened to stumble across a post I wrote about our similar childhoods & how I admired him for rapping about the positive sides of life and the fact that he doesn’t have lyrics that are vulgar towards women like the majority of rappers.

Others from his music label, Visionary Music Group, stumbled onto my blog after this and connected with me as well & I became good friends with a few of them. I have since had the opportunity to meet the majority of those involved with VMG and the music world in general all because I tried to get to know a “stranger”.

Strange is a relative word, much like normal.

Photo credit: Nick Mahar

If the world was blind...

I am often hesitant to write what is truly on my mind. Not because I am afraid to share my stories—rather I am afraid of how others will perceive them. I was struggling with this the other day when it hit me…

I own everything that has happened to me—I own my stories. If people wanted me to only write positive things, they should have behaved better.

This thought was sparked by an anonymous quote that I stumbled upon. It asked, “If the world was blind how many people would you impress?”

I am the daughter of a violent offender—a statement that makes most people shutter. The thing that people don’t understand is that this statement does not define who I am as a person, nor does it define my father. I understand that more often than not children follow in their parents’ footsteps; however, mine have always encouraged me to follow my own path & to learn from their mistakes.

We are all so quick to judge every book by its cover, there is a reason those words are considered to be “cliché”. The trick is to look a little deeper. If more people did then they might understand that sure, I may be the daughter of an ex-con, but I am also a sister, a girlfriend, a college graduate, a former collegiate student body president, a dreamer—a girl who chose to define herself.

If the world was blind, would people still see your beauty?

Why I love QuESt.

Photo by: @jbenavente_ 

If you’ve ever met me or read my blog then it is pretty obvious I am a complete hip hop head. I’ve talked about my all-time favorite songs & about some of my personal story that relates to them BUT I rarely mention individual rappers. This kid is different though, & he definitely deserves a shout-out.

So everyone knows that I am obsessed with Logic’s music, but in a roundabout way, that lead me to meeting QuESt. A few years back I read about him on a few different hip hop blogs & listened to his song Everybody Has A Story (to see the exact blog post, click here). I was impressed with the message behind the song and continued to see him all over the blogs for a while, but then it slowed down. That happens a lot in hip hop, especially underground hip hop, so I didn’t really think anything of it. But then, QuESt opened for Logic on the Welcome To Forever tour. This caught me by surprise because I hadn’t heard anything from him in a couple years. And then Visionary Music Group signed him Summer 2013 and I began to see more and more.

In January, Logic read my blog for the first time which then lead to other VMG members reading it as well, including QuESt’s manager, Dino (shout-out @rhymestyle). We talked about music and I got the opportunity to hear some of QuESt’s newest project. When I visited family back home in California, I was able to meet both QuESt and Dino. We talked about our favorite hip hop artists, albums, songs, etc. and agreed that our favorites revolved around the stories behind the words. Throughout our conversations it was very clear that everything that QuESt raps about comes from real life experiences. He would be telling me a story & one of his songs would instantly pop into my head—they are literally the soundtrack of his life.

He may not know good coffee (sorry I had to), but he sure as hell knows music. If you love hip hop, you’ll love QuESt. To see his official twitter page click here.

Not just a women's movement.

People often ask me why I Am That Girl is important to me. This is why.

Four facts from my friend Amanda’s gender study course at Boise State today:

• Women are a more valuable illegal trade commodity than drugs or firearms because they can be sold up to 15 times a day, 365 days a year, for the rest of their lives. 
• There are 107 million females missing from the world today.
• Sex trafficking starts with girls as young as eight years old through brothels & forced marriages.
• Despite regulations in western nations, in some cases, sex tours from the US to the Third World are offered as means by which lonely men can find a mate.

I Am That Girl is a global movement that empowers girls to be the best version of themselves. It is a family—a community of strong, beautiful, and inspiring young women. It is a form of healthy media. Above all else, it is a safe place to sit and talk about real stuff.

This is one of those real things.

People have a tendency to turn their shoulder to things that they don’t understand. For example, a significant amount of people have never heard of the Holocaust or don’t even believe that it ever happened.  Exact numbers will never be known, but an estimated eleven million people died as a direct result of the tragedy.

How can eleven million people die and the world not know about it? I mean, that is a huge number.

Okay, so let’s go back to the beginning. How can there possibly be 107 million missing females in the world?

Many Americans believe that this is a distant problem to them; however, sex trafficking is happening in our own back yard. According to DoSomething.org, between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the US every year. The International Labour Organization estimates that females represent the largest share of victims.

So what is the point of this post (or rant if you’d rather)? I just want people to be informed. I truly believe that awareness is the first step in eradicating sex trafficking. Females should never be treated as a commodity.

Reference: 

11 Facts About Human Trafficking (n.d.). In DoSomething.org. Retrieved April 17, 2014

Light my soul on fire.

My father has been in and out of jail/prison my entire life and as a result I am all too familiar with barbed wire, electric fences, cinderblock walls, and security checkpoints. By the time I was eleven I had visited the courthouse more times than the average person ever will. 

Lately, my father’s past has come up a lot in regard to my own life. People are quick to judge me because of my experiences when I was a child. But the thing is, that’s never really been my life—not by choice anyway. However, those struggles became the fuel that lit a passionate fire within me. 

Recently, I was having a conversation with three friends on a warm sandy beach about how attitude and determination make all the difference in life. Each one of us came from completely different backgrounds, but we all made the same decision to live a better life than that in which society predicted for us. One simple commonality in regard to our attitudes about life literally paved the path for one of the most inspiring friendships.

It is hard to come alive when your critics are constantly trying to break you down, but the world needs more people like you. More people who aren’t afraid to face their fears and defy statistics. It took me a long time to figure this out.

Tim Ferriss said it best, "If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think."

After all, once you have accepted your flaws no one can use them against you. 

You have to keep your vision clear.

Success requires a certain amount of both vision and action. Those who take calculated risks are the ones who come out on top—those who see the vision. 

Walt Disney was a visionary. He saw the world in a different light than others and yet still found a way to show the rest of us his vision.

Shawn Fanning & Sean Parker were visionaries. Not only did they create a new way to file share online, but their creation of Napster forever changed the music industry and may have even been the inspiration for the now common social media phenomenon. They saw the internet in a way that nobody else had ever imagined—they had a vision. 

Alexis Jones has a vision. She is constantly fighting to better the lives of women & empowering her peers to do the same. She strives to help others to see the beauty that she sees in the world—her vision. 

Chris Zarou is a visionary. He has approached the music business in a way that is revolutionary—stumping major labels along the way. He recognizes raw talent & helps them maximize their potential through a common vision. 

All of these people are completely different. They look different, act different, and even their visions are different. What they have in common is their will to succeed and their ability to share their vision with others.

Visionaries never fail.

What is your vision?  

Just in case you read this.

We don't need to have just one favorite. Our favorite things are those that speak most directly to us in that particular stage in our lives. Our favorite books, music, movies they are ever changing and we are always adding to the list. However, some favorites are more lasting. 

For example, I will never outgrow Star Wars and Fast and Furious (yeah, I'm a weird girl), they will always be favorites of mine. Another lasting favorite for me resides in music. The best feeling is when you hear a song that takes you back to a vivid memory. Nas, Big L, Biggie, A Tribe Called Quest-- so many of their songs are soundtracks to my life and will forever be favorites. 

For a long time I never thought my favorites would change in regard to hip hop though. I mean yeah, I loved Food & Liquor, but come on guys-- Soulja Boy, really? BUT, I was wrong. In 2009 I was surfing the internet in the middle of the night looking for music as per usual and this kid who was just barely older than me popped up on YouTube. He just so happened to be in about the same life stage as me in regard to his family drama, the lack of money, and the ability to find some inner drive. 

In fact, I recently wrote a post about how "hip hop just gets me" and mentioned him in it. You can find that post here. And over two years ago I wrote a post about creating positive change and in just a couple of sentences summed up why he is my favorite and it still applies today. Click here to read that one.

Logic is one of those lasting favorites for me. Maybe it is because we are the same age or maybe it is because I can relate to his complicated childhood, but whatever the reason I am grateful. Through his music I have met some of my favorite people and some major doors to future opportunities have opened up for me. So thank you. Thank you for understanding me even though we have never met. Thank you for adding to the soundtrack of my life.   

Brave enough not to settle.

You cannot please everyone.

There will always be that one person who insists on judging you for the situation that you were born into rather than acknowledging the life that you built for yourself.

There will always be that person who decides that they get to dictate what is best for you in life. And if you let them—they always will.

There will always be those people who discourage you from chasing your dreams because they don’t understand the significance of them or why you could ever want to do such things.

Just remember, nobody knows you better than you do.

Nothing seems more formidable than disappointing people that you care about, but sometimes they just can’t see the bigger picture. You cannot live in fear of being who you really are—those who truly love you will try to support you even if they can’t quite understand your interests.

Yeah, your dreams aren't going to be easy to achieve, but so what?

Be the one who is brave enough to conquer the impossible. Brave enough not to settle. Just because you were born into a crappy situation or a family that doesn't quite understand your aspirations doesn't mean that you can’t change things and live the life that you have always imagined.

I believe in the impossible. I believe in my dreams. I believe in you, even if you don’t believe in me. 

I hate drugs.

All I could hear was the sound of my heart pounding in my ears—I just hoped he couldn’t. His dirty work boots were heavier with every step on the carpeted floors. I could see the gun in his hands from my position under the table.

 

He pulled up the tablecloth and pointed the 38 special in our faces. “I'll be back for the two of you” he slurred his words and his eyes were stained red.

He left down the hallway toward the bedrooms. I held my breath and slowly dialed into the phone; I could hear him walking down the hall across from me. “Dad, hurry, he has a gun” I frantically whispered into the line and hung up.

She was scared too, but it was apparent that this had happened to both of us before. We were seven years old, but our eyes were much older. By this time I had seen the effects of drugs, violence, and deceit countless times. We knew not to cry.

When her mom started screaming, I reached for her hand. We couldn’t hear their words, just the volume behind them. After what felt like a lifetime the front door burst open and I was finally able to breathe. I ran out from under the table and out the front door into the cold night, still holding her shaking hand.

A week later that house was empty, she was gone, and I never saw her again. 

Progress is impossible without change.

The best stories are told by those who take risks. The stories that motivate you and ignite a fire that you never knew existed. Told by people who are willing to bend the rules and try something new, unknown. People who realize that there is no way to prevent change so they embrace it instead.

Those are the people who I admire.

Our twenties are meant to be the experimental years. Now is the time to move someplace new on a whim, travel somewhere that you've always dreamt of going, and make as many new connections as you possibly can. It is pointless to drive yourself crazy stressing about the unknown… it isn't going anywhere.

My life is completely up in the air right now. My job ends this May when I graduate & my lease ends just two weeks later. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't stressed—but oddly, I am also excited. I have chosen to embrace this change and run with it.

I have found ways to keep my sanity during this crazy time. I am working on building a network of people who share my views, interests, and goals. I am reflecting on myself and making sure that I stay true to who I am. And I fight everyday to break the rules and achieve the impossible. These things are what will help me find success. These are the reasons that I am not letting myself feel bad about the things that I can’t control.  

And the best part—it’s working. My positive attitude has helped me meet people who I never imagined I would meet who have encouraged me to keep chasing my passions and following my dreams. The unknown may be scary, but shrugging away from opportunities is scarier.  

"I've seen a lot of sh** I shouldn't have, but never forgot it though..." -Logic

I've mentioned some of my childhood on here (a few scarce details)... and some of that includes some tough things that I went through. BUT I want to let everyone know that no matter what happened, I love my dad. I decided to interview him so that others can understand some of his background. Where he came from & why he made some of the choices that he did. 

These are all direct responses from my dad: 

1.       How old were you when you first got involved on the streets?

-“8 years old I think. Maybe earlier, I was the youngest of the boys. LA was a crazy place to be on your own. Take a wrong turn and your whole day can turn into a sh** show." 

2.       When were you first exposed to drugs & violence?

-Violence: “when I was eight I saw some Hells Angels beat a Satan Slave to sh**.  Once when I was a teenager though about seven of us went to jump fifteen guys who were messing with one of our dudes… we won. The first bad one I actually didn't witness. When I was seventeen or eighteen my buddy got stabbed—to this day I hate that I couldn't be there for him."

-Drugs: “the first time I got stoned I was probably ten & speed… maybe eleven. I was around it a lot from the time I was eight.”

-“Actually, I think what first made me get involved in violence was when I was in third grade. I was dyslexic & ADHD & back then (the ‘60’s) those didn't exist. Teacher’s would say I wasn't trying & kids would call me a retard or mental. One day when we were out on the play yard for a fire drill I was the line leader and this kid tried making me trade him places. He said ‘you're a retard anyway, just move’ and my older brother heard and told me to kick his a** so I did. And then from that moment it was how I expressed my frustration… it wasn't good.”

3.       What was the hardest part about growing up without your dad around?”

-“Mom was working—all the time. We had to fend for ourselves a lot. She did what she could, but there wasn't someone around to tell me no. Nine kids is too many for one person to look after alone. We were just running, gunning, and having fun.”

4.       What was your home life like?

-“Nonexistent—I was there to sleep & eat. Especially as a teenager.”

5.       Who were your idols when you were young?

-“My dad… even though he wasn't always around, he went back to school & became a lawyer. I admired him for that.”

-“Mom’s boyfriend, Stan. He was a self-made guy. Military man, go-getter, amazing job. I looked up to him.”

-“Jimi Hendrix. His music was an escape—best guitarist in the history of music.”

-“General Patton, Einstein, and Rockefeller (the original). They were all dyslexic too. A teacher introduced me to them in 8^th grade to motivate me to keep going. They are why I kept going to school...”

6.       How many times have you been arrested?

-“As a kid, like six or seven times I think. I got picked up more than that, but not actually arrested. And six times as an adult.”

7.       What was your biggest fear growing up?

-“Failure. I was so afraid of failing. One day in 12^th grade I was sitting there like, sh** I graduate soon & I can't even read or write. I was about to have to fend for myself and I didn't know how to do anything. I didn't really learn how to write until I was in prison when you were eleven or twelve—I used to have to use a dictionary to write you (referring to me) letters. Like I knew what words I wanted to use, but I had no idea how they were spelled. Those letters took me hours.”

8.       How old were you when you first got involved in the gang?

-“Twelve I think. Maybe thirteen. The gang was my family. We always had each other’s backs. But I wish I would have had someone at home telling me to stay away. It was toxic—I just didn't see that. I witnessed more violence before I was eighteen than most people ever will. And now I hate it. I hate fighting. And I don't trust anyone anymore.”

"Music is a safe kind of high." -Jimi Hendrix

I mention my love for hiphop music a lot, here are a few of my favorites. Not in any particular order & definitely only a few of them. Yes, I love the beats, but these are about more than that. It's about the beats, the story, the life behind them. 

All songs are linked to YouTube: 

Infinite- Eminem 

It's OK- Eminem

Monsters In My Head- The Game

Growing Pains- Logic

Inception- Logic

5AM- Logic

Just A Man- Logic

One Mic- Nas 

Right To The Top- Big L 
In Her Music Box- Atmosphere

Gangster Rap Kings- J Cole

Crooked Smile- J Cole

Keep Ya Head Up- 2Pac

Man On The Moon- Kid Cudi

The Light- Common
Can I live- Jay-Z 
Moment of Clarity- Jay-Z
Check The Rhime- A Tribe Called Quest
Jesus Walks- Kanye
My Way Home- Kanye & Common

Things Done Changed- Biggie Smalls 

Hiphop is about more than just feeling good... it's about opening up and being real. It's one of the most vulnerable genres out there, in my opinion, which is exactly why I respect these people so much. 

I am a dreamer.

NOT a post about the woes of school that people often write. Please read it through until the end.

Graduation is in 113 days. I know that this is a fairly normal accomplishment for people my age (22), but I am the first in my family to go to college. For those of you who had parents that knew how to help you with your FAFSA, scholarships, classes, etc. feel lucky. I have basically stumbled my way through school.

I remember being so afraid my first semester at the community college. I was shy, everything intimidated me, and holy hell was it expensive (to me anyway). Not only did I survive my first day, but I realized that it really wasn't much different than high school. In fact, it was better than high school because people weren't so damn judgmental. I went to school in a small town (Twin Falls, ID) so when anything even slightly crazy happened everyone knew about it. In fact, it was quite literally always on the news. So, when my dad got arrested the first time, I lost about half of my “friends”. BUT, when the same thing happened in college nothing changed. I mean, my personal life changed and it was definitely a struggle, but at school—nothing changed. That’s when I decided that I was going to love college.

So, during my second semester I interviewed onto the student senate and worked with the sustainability council. Quite honestly, I didn't even know what the sustainability council was but I knew that being involved meant money and money meant staying in school. So during this time, my dad gets arrested again. Only this time, he was living with my boyfriend & his dad so I needed to take care of his stuff and move it into storage. My parents are divorced, so whenever these things arose I was the acting power of attorney for my dad. Between trying to balance work, school, student senate, and all of the legal stuff my relationship crumbled. My boyfriend at the time decided to find himself another girlfriend when my life was too hectic to handle, so we broke up. It crushed me. He was my high-school sweetheart, but it only pushed me to focus even more of my attention toward school.

Student senator then became student body secretary and I got more and more involved in the community and added on a second major. At the tail end of my sophomore year of college a good friend encouraged me to run for student body president. My whole life I heard people telling me what “kids like me” did in their lives and it sure as hell wasn't student body president. So, I did it. The other two candidates were equally as qualified, but I was more driven. I didn't sleep until I knew that I won the election.

That year I made more major connections than ever before. I spoke to the state legislature, met with the state governor, organized numerous community service events, and attended a national leadership conference in Miami. I finished off the year on the presidents list, graduated with AA’s in political science and business, spoke at the graduation ceremony, and was accepted into the Boise State marketing program.

Since moving to Boise I have started a local chapter of a nonprofit organization that I support called I Am That Girl and managed to balance my job and classes. I am proud to say that I did not take out any loans my first three years of school, but sadly, I have had to do so during my time at BSU. So now, I am trying to figure out my future, which includes paying off those couple of loans ASAP.

I am a dreamer. Everyone always tells me that my ideas are crazy, but if I don’t do it, someone else will! I am originally from LA and I loooovvveee the city. I dream of working in music, entertainment, or fashion. BUT, I live in Idaho right now, so I will definitely have to move if I want to do any of those things. So what’s the best way to make these things happen? That’s you guys. It’s all about who you know, right? So, if any of you have any suggestions or connections please let me know. Oh, and if anybody wants to score me a marketing job working in the music or entertainment industries—I’d love you forever. 

The Fault In Our Stars

Reading is my favorite. And I am lucky enough that one of my favorite hobbies is often encouraged. People are always coming up with new studies & articles about why reading is so good for you and I love it! I've heard everything from 'reading can chill you out' to 'it might prevent Alzheimer's disease &keep your brain sharp'.

Those aren't necessarily my reasons for reading, but they sure do sound good. I like reading because I love learning. Sometimes the lessons come in unconventional ways, but I can generally say that I learned at least one thing in every single book that I have read. I also love reading because I am a writer. I love analyzing the technique that authors use and identifying patterns and writing styles throughout their books. Reading motivates me to not only write more but to write better. And heck, sometimes I just like to get lost in a book.

I read a lot when I travel. There is nothing I enjoy more than reading, writing, & people watching at the airport! This last week I traveled to Coeur d'Alene in northern Idaho (the most beautiful town) and I brought The Fault In Our Stars by John Green along with me.

The Fault In Our Stars is a book about a teenage girl, Hazel, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer and grudgingly attends a cancer support group to please her parents. However while there, she meets a charming boy, Augustus Waters. Augustus has osteosarcoma, but has recently been in the clear. Hazel and Augustus experience a whirlwind of emotions including love, romance, sadness, and friendship throughout their adventure together. John Green did an amazing job writing a very realistic novel that will both humor and humble you. 

My Interpretation of Creativity.

Recently, I decided to share my draft of what I hope to be a book in the near future with a select few people. I was instantly nervous and started to second guess whether or not any of it was even worth reading. Exposing a world that I created inside of my head is one of the scariest things I have ever done. A friend (thank you Ali!) reassured me that the critics didn't matter and she recommended that I watch a video by Brené Brown. Well, I did, thus this blog post.

Creativity is defined as the ability to make new things or think of new ideas. This implies that everyone has the ability to be a creative being. However, this concept often gets misconstrued because when we hear the word “creative” we are trained to think of painters, sculptures, writers, etc.

If we all have the ability to create, why do we often feel like only those who are more dominant on the right hemisphere of their brain have the ability to be labeled as creative? I am very “right-brained” so to speak, and I for one could never create something so magnificent that it could single handedly advance our technology or save human lives. But, I am often told just how creative I am. Yes, I am creative in the stereotypical ways—I enjoy writing, drawing, designing, and I drink too much coffee; however, some of the most creative people throughout history do not necessarily fit this stereotype.

Steve Jobs literally created a technology revolution— that is creative. My mother is a cosmetologist and she has to create new looks on her clients every single day—that is creative. Alexis Jones and the rest of the I Am That Girl team had a vision as to how they could successfully empower women through a multitude of mediums in a way that had never been done before— that is beyond creative.

People often keep their ideas, opinions, or creations to themselves when they do not fall onto the artistic side of definition. Maybe this is because sharing your imagination with others can be frightening. Brené Brown, an author and vulnerability researcher, gave a talk titled Why Your Critics Aren’t The Ones Who Count that covered this exact concept. During the talk she made a statement that really hit home, she said, “there is nothing more vulnerable than creativity".  There is nothing more frightening than the moment that you expose your ideas to the world. Imagine if your favorite author never overcame the fear of rejection and therefore never published a story or your favorite artist burned every painting before anybody could see it in fear of the failing. Better yet, imagine the world without individuals like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Be brave enough to find your creativity in whatever sense it means to you.

You can watch Brené Brown's video here!