The term “Squirrely” is often negatively
misinterpreted. Everyone has a LINK to a
squirrely side within their being to express and be creative… However, many have squandered this component
of themselves in a reserved fashion in order to maintain a sense of order in
their lives or to avoid being judged.
This spontaneous, fun, unpredictable, wild, slightly crazy
and flighty free-spirited action of being “squirrely” usually only finds its
way to a free forum of artistry, expression or professionally where such wild
ideas are embraced and accepted as ‘required’ skill or permitted.
When was the last time you LINKED to your squirrely side?
- How often do you get to use it in the work you do?
- If you do not work in a profession where you are allowed to even be creative, where do you exercise that creative muscle in your hobbies or leisure part of your life?
- Do you feel like you are able to express yourself creatively or do you feel like there are barriers in being able to do what it is you do? Are they your barriers or do they come from your external environment?
I decided to write this blog for the frustrated
creative squirrely rebels who are stuck in boxes where they cannot express themselves and also for those who are free in the world who need to know they are not
alone. I SEE YOU. KEEP GOING.
This week, I had the chance to talk with a few random people
at a networking event who all admitted they have not been true to their squirrely soul. One of them was a student who was mailing transcripts.
He switched majors for the third time in order to please his parents’
idea of what a ‘safe career’ would be.
Safe? What is safe
these days with an economy in a constant state of flux?
I could see clearly that the student did not want to wear a suit and tie – but it was not about that. Rather it was his idea of adapting to the ‘everyday’ struggle of putting on a fake mask pretending to be some mover and shaker in an industry that was not in alignment to what he wanted, but what his parents wanted. He also knew he was going where his ideas would be crushed under someone else’s thumb.
Talk about insight. High-five YOLO. Sigh. Let's just hope he breaks free and finds his way and the courage to tell his parents this isn't who he truly is and he's not being true to his authentic self.
I could see clearly that the student did not want to wear a suit and tie – but it was not about that. Rather it was his idea of adapting to the ‘everyday’ struggle of putting on a fake mask pretending to be some mover and shaker in an industry that was not in alignment to what he wanted, but what his parents wanted. He also knew he was going where his ideas would be crushed under someone else’s thumb.
Talk about insight. High-five YOLO. Sigh. Let's just hope he breaks free and finds his way and the courage to tell his parents this isn't who he truly is and he's not being true to his authentic self.
At this same networking meeting there were many frustrated professionals who felt stifled in being able to contribute
creative ideas for getting their brand out into the marketplace and community
just because their ideas weren’t considered ‘normal.’
My question to all of that is... WHO defines 'normal?' Isn't it better to not blend into some generic bland lane of normalcy and instead stand out and be different?
My question to all of that is... WHO defines 'normal?' Isn't it better to not blend into some generic bland lane of normalcy and instead stand out and be different?
Sifting through all of this frustration looking directly in the eyes of souls, I could see who wants to ‘get out’ and run free
with their vision, but often feel stuck in doing so.
For both the student and yes, even the seasoned executives,
I saw the same thing... a 'feeling stuck' point - some who ‘did not want to comply’
with this ‘safe mode’ of a structured place in Corporate America and some who only did because they thought they had no options.
Troubling.
Troubling.
The executives? They
already sold out but felt it was too late. The light in their eyes wanting the
‘something more’ and to live where my creative head was taking them, I felt
some sort of push-pull tug-o-war with what I witnessed, where they were dying
to be realized themselves.
How many of you are dying on the vine?
How often have you asked yourself if you are doing what you
think you are supposed to be doing vs. what someone has transferred to you to
do that was not your vision you had for yourself?
I see a lot of this every single day… and I think about this
endless merry-go-round and wonder how many businesses are actually working in
alliance with their employees, with their teams to utilize their best creative
assets to foster something more than just false sense of long-term security of a
paycheck.
There are businesses who are starting to adopt to a
lifestyle culture where they believe in hiring the person, not the suit. I salute you people… especially those
of you who focus on someone’s creative contribution and actually VALUE IT. If there were only more like you… let’s hope
together we can facilitate change.
I reflected back to the 19 year-old me resonating with this
squirrely side pushing myself away from the cubicle life, which my parents had
wanted that I felt, was a soul-crushing prison under not-so-flattering
fluorescent lighting. I had bolted like
Pegasus flapping my creative rainbow glittered wings wanting something more for
my soul to feel invested where squirrely creativity could be nurtured, cradled
and fed warm gooey cookies.
There was only one real answer to that at the time, the arduous
against-the-grain pathway of entrepreneurship being an independent contractor.
For me, this whole topic has been a life-long Achilles heel
as most tightly structured businesses like to operate in the parameters of
staying inside of a very contained and strained box diagram. They “claim” to be ‘outside-the-box’ (this
has become profanely overused)… but when “thinking big and beyond the norm”…
they become the OPPOSITE and the negative connotation of the word
squirrely.
To clarify, the antsy and awkward “fear” most businesses
have is that they welcome creativity, but not too much creativity. What's too much? Innovative/maverick-driven stuff that has ‘not been done before.’
Most businesses believe in the operational mode of the “let’s not reinvent the wheel”
mentality as they would rather someone else take said risk, watch it… and then
swiftly jump on the bandwagon once it is proven by someone else’s big picture
vision to try first. Once they know it
is safe, and then they will adhere to the ‘trend’ and look like heroes.
While this may appear safer for them…I will unapologetically
stand in my truth and say I see it as cowardly, lacking vision and being too
conformist. This is NOT judgment, this
is observational opinion from experience, where I have seen too many flounder
creatively staying in the same freeway lane too long. What ends up happening is these companies end up taking their team for granted from
complacency-sake, with miserable staffs who function on auto-pilot, lacking motivation or a reason to wake up in the morning.
Though my logical and analytical mind knows WHY… no one
likes to take risks and have their behind on the line for being brave, creative
and having conviction in supporting or backing something untried, new and ‘out
there’ in a squirrely way.
However, even though I understand it, it doesn’t make taking the road less traveled any less frustrating. It just means we have to carry on with deeper conviction if our hearts are in our dreams and our artistry comes from a place of truth and passion to become realized.
However, even though I understand it, it doesn’t make taking the road less traveled any less frustrating. It just means we have to carry on with deeper conviction if our hearts are in our dreams and our artistry comes from a place of truth and passion to become realized.
Do not get me wrong, I am a highly organized believer in
rules, structure, plans; operating procedures…they have their place for purpose
and reason. I respect that and when it
comes to safety, health and well-being….this is imperative.
BUT......... when it comes to harnessing great talent
with the ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’ mindset of fostering growth and
creativity to having it all become realized – my mind and heart support
innovation,unconventional ways of creating, bravery and being different, even if supportive sponsorship or ‘big
business’ doesn’t quite see it the same way.
Hence, small businesses… we must keep thriving people even
if we are not always recognized by ‘the system.’
During a fifteen-year stint in my life, I was lucky to be
able to allow my inner-squirrely girl run free.
I was working for an eco-minded creative arts event. They were trying to transition some
activities from Thanksgiving to Christmas. They needed an idea to create intrigue. So my brain came up with…”How about asking
people to save their Thanksgiving turkey carcasses, wash them and bring them to
the event for us for us to recycle, reuse and repurpose/multipurpose into
decorated Christmas sleigh crafts, utilizing it as an activity for kids as well
as a visual media draw?” Out there? Yes. Risky? Yes. Multifunctional to tackle attendance, draw, interest, engagement and separate this event from forty others going on the same weekend? Yes. Perhaps not so crazy or squirrely after all.
Many other ideas like live crab racing; creating promotions
for people to attend an event in their “laundry mistakes” like a ‘not
previously pink’ attire contest were no brainers. Funky promotions like a coconut bowling with
pineapple pins contests for a tropical cocktails promo; creating actual live
Elvis sightings for a month and a half in random places like Build-A-Bear (to
tie-in with the debut of the Elvis bear) or Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor (peanut
butter and banana sundaes, thankyouverymuch)… I am lucky
to say were all supported, utilized and successfully executed. In my case, I was lucky to say that I was
able to nurture a crazy, squirrely seed of an idea and actually make it happen
for real. However, I know not everyone
is lucky to do this.
My heart celebrates the heroes that choose to ride their
virgin ideas straight into battle in the face of adversity, showing chutzpah,
vigor, courage, and knowing this is no easy-peasy trek, but they plan to endure
anyway.
This resonates with my rebel heart ten-fold. Perhaps it's foolish, or unrealistic to believe that one day more business will welcome squirrely creativity. Maybe you’re the same. Or perhaps you are more practical, either way my brain comprehends the whole chess board, it’s just that my authentic stance sits on the side of ‘Go Big or Go Home’ with limited earthly existence, particularly with the clock ticking. I live for the full court basketball shot like this one:
This resonates with my rebel heart ten-fold. Perhaps it's foolish, or unrealistic to believe that one day more business will welcome squirrely creativity. Maybe you’re the same. Or perhaps you are more practical, either way my brain comprehends the whole chess board, it’s just that my authentic stance sits on the side of ‘Go Big or Go Home’ with limited earthly existence, particularly with the clock ticking. I live for the full court basketball shot like this one:
So dear creative rebels who dare to go where no one else has
dared to create before, I say soldier onward… you are not alone and just
because your vision is ‘out there’ … does not mean that it is not worthy of
seeing the light of day.
- You have to keep going
- Do not allow your doubts/fears to paralyze your vision
- Allow yourself to OWN your truth and creative being
- Understand that it is HEALTHY for the mind-body connection to free your artistry
- Denying yourself a chance to have an outlet for your ideas is toxic for your soul
- Do not worry about others judging your creativity – YOU create what you want, but another’s judgment does not define YOUR ART
- If you have ideas, give yourself permission to explore them
- Choose to find support wherever you can
- If you are living someone else’s dream rather than your own, you are denying your heart what it deserves
- Rejection is a part of life. It does not mean you are ‘less than’ – remember that!
Yes, it may take a while to see your ideas ‘realized’ – it does
not mean your ideas are too crazy to be supported. Without crazy ideas, there
would be no SNL and there probably wouldn’t be the electronic device you are
reading this on either. Somewhere someone said, “What? Reading a blog on a
phone in your hand? That’s preposterous.”
If anything, it just means your creativity is needed even
more than you realize. Or you may just need to use what you have to create a
ripple for more creative works i.e. the first one was just practice to master
your craft, vision or creation.
Once others stop suppressing their inner squirrel to SEE
YOU, they may eventually find resonance echoing more than just whispers, but
with some amplified bass in their consciousness to see your articulated bigger
picture. I continue to fight the same one you do with numerous ‘out there’ side
projects. So don’t think I still don’t sit where you do.
Whether you are a product or service inventor or engineer or
creative artist – sometimes timing is key or finding the right avenue of
distribution or alliance. Sometimes it’s
a ‘world unfolding’ thing where your creativity stumbles across the right
visionaries, tribe or support.
What I’ve learned over the years is that you may not be
everyone’s cup of Tahitian vanilla bean organic rooibos chai tea almond milk latte
with an orange zest twist, even if you are accompanied by a plate of warm dark
chocolate toasted hazelnut ancho chile shortbread cookies. You may offer something creative that appears
enticing but some people would rather go with plain tea, and store-bought plain
bland colorless cookies just because they believe that’s what the world wants
(because it’s less risky) and that they’re not ready for what you have to
offer. Or... yes, they don't quite know "what the heck to do with you."
That's okay, too. Remember, if you are an octopus with a multi-cylinder brain on rapid-fire, I will tell you as one myself... just because someone doesn't value your abilities does not mean your abilities, talents and vision are not worthwhile. Read that again, please.
That's okay, too. Remember, if you are an octopus with a multi-cylinder brain on rapid-fire, I will tell you as one myself... just because someone doesn't value your abilities does not mean your abilities, talents and vision are not worthwhile. Read that again, please.
Being THAT different does not mean you will
continue to be ignored. I mean creating Christmas sleighs out of leftover
Thanksgiving turkey carcasses is NOT mainstream stuff… remember that! Someone, somewhere, some day will say…
"Whoa…where the heck have you been, you unique lil’ squirrely one? We have been looking for you all this time and we SEE YOU. We need your brain and that exact widget, because NO ONE else has it, and that is what will set us apart in the world."
You may not have felt like you belonged anywhere, but
suddenly you fit exactly where you need to fit!
It is here, the shared perspective will be able to climb heights
together in working partnership beyond the treetops. We can only hope this nutty idea or two can
manifest into something that can transform minds and hearts everywhere.
Until then… persistence, perseverance, tenacity, and belief
are your friend. Link to your inner
squirrely artistry to create and you will find your way through the branches to
reach the clouds.
When you do…you’ll be glad you were brave enough to LINK to
your squirrely side, express your creativity freely and allow others catch up
to discover and celebrate your unique expression you have to share with the
world.
Namaste.
