There is nothing like the feeling of being known by a lifelong friend. They see through the you that you have become to the truest part of your heart.
I recently spent some time with a best friend from high school who filtered my scribbled scramble of a life into the proclamation: "You are an explorer." All of a sudden, my insecurities morphed into feelings of glamor and excitment. I felt good about myself encircled by her friendship.
Our insecurities hopefully fuel the drive to edit and improve, but they can also freeze our sense of urgency--the impetus to push forward. I plan to shake off those icy shackles by imagining that every future reader will filter my words into a delightful experience and escape.
I want to feel energized to share the journey with my audience, the way my friend made me feel when she saw me as something brave: an Explorer. To keep that going, I'm embracing a future brimming with readers who trust me to lead them.
I'm their sherpa.
And so are you when you decide to tell your story.