This week I finally got published in The Buffalo News. A real article in a real newspaper. It had been a dream of mine to get my work published and now it’s a reality; so, here are three lessons I learned in the process.
- Always keep your ears open
You never know where your next opportunity will come from, so look everywhere. I found the opinions section even though I didn’t think The Buffalo News took submissions, so, look for even what you don’t think you’ll find. The right thing will always find you at the right time.
- Do it scared
I was really nervous when I submitted. I just kept wondering if I was way out of my mind and skillset to be in a real paper, but I guess I wasn’t. The moral of the story is don’t judge yourself before you give others the chance to and you never know what other people will think of you. You could think you’re the worst at something only to find out you’re one of the best, and that mindset shift only comes from putting yourself in challenging spaces that scare you. So do it scared, you never know what someone will think.
- Enjoy the journey
My mom has told me this a thousand times; but I don’t think I truly listened to her until now. Enjoy the small moments. Those small moments that seem stressful are where your best content comes from. Even if you’re not necessarily creative, those moments can provide the best mindset shift.
The last thing I want to say is this: don’t let anyone (even yourself) tell you what you’re capable of. Just do the things you love and eventually, they (or you) will see they were wrong.
Until next time,
Ella Greene
