August 5, 2023

Hello friends,

I’ll admit, I care more about what people think about me than is good for me. It is something I’ve been working on for a long time and has gotten a lot better, but it is still an area that I would like to improve on even further.

One of the areas that I notice this tension most in my life at the moment is when I meet new people and they ask what I do. I’m in a phase of my life where I’m creating a lot of work that I am proud of, but ultimately, I’m not earning any income. And so anytime I’m asked what I do or where I work or what my job is, I stumble awkwardly and ultimately answer something like “I’m a homemaker” in an ironic tone. It would be just as accurate to say: I’m a writer, I’m an artist, I’m a community organizer. But somehow without the validation of getting paid for that work, it feels uncomfortable to claim those titles.

So given that this is an area I am working on not caring about as much as I do, today’s prompt may be counter intuitive, but what I’m trying to get at with it is less about trying to control what other people think, which ultimately I have little to no control over, and more about crystalizing what is important to me. It is about values.

Take 5-15 minutes and write about

What do I want people to think of when they think of me?

So what are the things I want people to think of me: I want people to think of me as someone who challenges and inspires them to be their best and supports them to reach their goals. I want people to think that I am kind. I want people to think that I make interesting art and have worthwhile conversations. I want people to think I am hardworking and competent. I want people to think that spending time with me will make them feel better/happier.

Your friend,
Laura