Are you…

girlfriend, or lover?

husband, or partner?

teacher, or trainer?

leader, or director?

decorator, or designer?

advisor, or counselor?

blogger, or writer?

crafter, or artist?

What you call yourself matters.

Words send signals, labels are magnetic.

Your soul deserves accuracy.

Medicinal Marzipan recently asked me:

You distinguish yourself as a writer vs. blogger, can you elaborate on that point? And I said:

I loath the word blog. It’s not pretty. But we’re stuck with it. That’s an aside, really.

Most specifically, I philosophize, and I mostly do that in writing, and I mostly present that on the internet. That’s the Big Real of what I do, and what so many of us do. We’re bigger than our “posts” and “tweets” and when you keep your eye on that, when you let your definitions of yourself be deeply accurate, it influences your creative approach.

I’m a philosopher, which for me, is more accurate than teacher, because “philosopher” connotes both sagacity + continuing exploration. I’m a strategist, ’cause I sure as hell am too opinionated to be a coach. (Not that brilliant coaches don’t have mighty opinions. And BTW, I think everyone should have a coach.)

I’m a mama, which is just mo’ fun and sexy than mother, and it’s more specific than parent, because my parenting is distinctly, pronouncedly feminine. I’m a writer. It doesn’t matter where my stuff is published – pixelated on the internet, printed in books, or stamped on notecards. I write. For a living/loving even.

I’m as fascinated by what someone does as by what they say they do.

Like this sweet guy at a workshop, “By day I’m a Refuse Manager, which is just a fancy title the city gives me for Garbage Man. I actually prefer Garbage Man, you know? By night I’m a stock trader and student of eastern mythology. I’m a seeker, really. Yeah, a Seeker.” Clearly, he’s seeking treasures, not garbage.

Labels are a necessary and unavoidable function of most cultures. We need them like we need traffic lights and handshakes.

Recognize if you’ve outgrown your “title”.

Deepen your claim, or lighten it right up.

Carve out your own personal lexicon. Snug, and radiant.

Educate people in who you are.

We want to know, for real.

 

With Love,