Hey Reader,
How's your Febmarpril going...?
Oh, you mean it's already almost May? "The year just started!" I say!
If you're like, "Yeah, I know, this year is FLYING BY", I'm right. there. with you.
And with that realization comes a whole heck of a lot of "feeling-left-behind-itis".
So, I wanted to share a few things and thoughts that have been swimming through my mind lately and helping me in and through a season in which I burned many-a-bridges, built a shit ton of amazingness, and have felt absolutely behind in executing the delivery of said amazing things.
Delivery: You know, the thing that actually gets those brilliant ideas of yours out there in the world.
Because honestly? Building a brand that doesn't shame you for being human... matters.
3 Things I'm Planting in My Brain This Spring:
- I had a real, straight talk with myself before the first quarter about speaking my truth. Finding myself and delivering content that didn't feel like fluff was right up there on my needs list. I wanted everything to feel like fire.
And I think I went more fire ants-in-your-pants style than the inspiration + action, I was going for. So, I took a look at that. Rerooted. Grappled onto integrity with truth, and it's helped a lot to ground my words and actions. I hope you feel it, too.
- I have been on a path of declaring "momentum = action". Just take the action. ACTION. ACTION. ACTION. But I've realized, if your nervous system is spiralling (like mine loves to do), you may want to take action, but it's just like... a sticky feeling when you go to implement. You just can't.
Or you do go for it and it feels like you're walking with a leg brace on, and you have no idea how it even got there. It's awkward and uncomfortable.
And if you feel like you can't or you "don't do it just right", shame comes sidling along for the ride, showing you everyone who IS. Like, "Welp, if you were more like HER... this would be no problem." Shame is a bitch, btw.
So, I've decided to unfriend Shame. At every corner. And this spring, I invite you to, too. You've got way better things to do.
- This leads me to 3. This year, I've learned so much more about my brain and executive functioning, AKA how it processes and does all the thangs. I feel like that in itself could become a whole TED Talk. "Welcome to my brain: Highly creative, very ineffective or equally absolute fire. It's a roll of the dice."
And this is why going through Q1 of Fuck It, I'm IN PERSONALLY and deliberately, alongside the brave souls who rode the first wave with me (ILY), has been so eye opening, and enlightening.
Because I recognized that:
- What I thought I knew, I didn't (fully). So tweaking happened, but it became intentional, not haphazard. It moved things forward, not backwards or sideways.
- What I thought I was doing, wasn't wrong, but it could be more effective. I wasn't being in an embodied way.
- What I really needed was to repeat Q1 and do it authentically from this space. Until it becomes second skin. Until it's not just in my words, written and spoken, but in my blood. Because I believe fully in the messaging and lessons I'm teaching, because I know they work.
And I know they work because I CAN FEEL when I'm not doing it. I know when I'm forcing, or pushing, or tweaking.
I know because I can feel when I'm fighting against my own damn system. Talk about getting schooled by your own damn program.
And I think that's what makes it a pretty damn cool thing to participate in, as both the faciliator, and for you. Because if you're like, "I dunno, I don't know if this is for me. I don't know if I have an identity problem, or a fear problem, or an authenticity problem. I don't even know if I want to have authenticity BE my strategy..." that's totally cool.
But my guess is, if you're anything like me, and you absolutely love what you do, and you love who you serve, and you love and want more love in your life, and to spread more love. Paired with having so many ideas you're just practically bursting 99% of the time... but things aren't firing as you think they should, or as you see it going for others, or you're just feeling so damn weighed down by "What the fuck-itis?" <- that's the feeling of burden that's both invisble and utterly exhausting...
Then I invite you along on the journey of Fuck It, I'm IN. Specifically, as we repeat, Pillar 1: Create. Where we learn to build a brand that's not just a gorgeous veneer, but it's the root, the core, the heart, the soul, and the EMBODIMENT of YOU. Even if you don't want to be the face of it.
Session 3 (Authenticity as YOUR Strategy) is running this Monday, and I've kept it a little lowkey this month...
Honestly, I've been doing some mad soul-searching, cleaning shit up in my space, and just connecting with people in real life.
I've also spent so much genuine quality time with my daughter, I've gotten a little addicted to just playing make-believe with her. And, then I realized like... bills and life exist.
So I snapped my head back on, and here I am.
Because, again, if you're like me, you'd way rather be OUT THERE delivering big beautiful things, rather than grinding away trying to appease Algorithms that are way more wily than they need to be (it's why I have a dream to build a REAL social network*).
And therefore, if you’re done grinding...
Which I think we can all agree on, but no one seems clear on how to stop, especially for those of us with creative, nonlinear, neurospicy brains…
Then I invite you to keep your eyes and ears open.
More invitations are coming.
More portals to look deeper at what’s actually keeping you stuck and how to unstick yourself with power and grace.
I’ll keep inviting you, if you keep sticking around.
Until one day, you’ll whisper—or scream—
“Fuck it, I’m in.”
On yourself.
And when that day comes?
We’ll do it together.
🔥 Mel
P.S. I'm starting a new IG. Same @itsmelissapaterson. It took two weeks of IG holding onto my handle before I could release it this morning. Fingers crossed and all, it worked!
Showing up there will be ONLY my work going THROUGH Fuck It, I'm IN. That means, you'll see me IN the creative process. You'll see me IN my mess. You'll see what it actually looks like to create a brand from true embodiment, fuck ups and all. I really hope to see you over there. ;) It's gonna be messy, delightful and beautiful.
Because we don’t just brand over here. We build legacies that love us right back.
