Starting Sideways–Unblocking My Creativity in Many Pathways

Hi there! It's my first SincerelyIreneB post, a couple of days after a lovely Mother’s Day, and here’s the thing: I’m committing, and doubling down on me. I won’t pretend I’ve been some selfless person giving only to others in spite of myself—nope. But putting loved ones, work, and commitments ahead of the things I want to do? That’s gone on for far too long.

I’ve been a sneaky, creative my whole life. One without a niche, a neat box, or a specialty label—and I thought that was my problem. I love to write, and while I adore off-the-wall humor, I also have a serious side that wants to share and teach. I cannot freehand draw to save my life, but I’m creative in a dozen other ways. And not just in-my-head good—other people confirm it too.

So what’s been the holdup? Fear? Absolutely. Starting and stopping a hundred times? One hundred percent. It’s that dreaded word, and subsequently, my word of 2025, that I’m dragging into the light — Completion.

The business (read: rigid) side of me convinced the free-spirited thinker in me that I had to finish one project before starting the next. That I needed to have every detail meticulously outlined and in place. Or that having complete clarity from start to finish was a must, and let’s not forget, possessing the know-how to brand and market that thing fully. The “marketing” part, a skill I did not have, unlocked the next unimaginable level of fear, as it meant marketing me.

So, re-enter the pattern… start, stop, rewrite, redo, pause, doubt, restart, stall again. All while tag-teaming life, work, and day-to-day responsibilities like I was in this weird WWE match, I had no business being in, let alone was about to win.

Turns out, well into my Big Age Era, I was still stubbornly holding onto the belief that everything had to be perfect. And Perfect is such a shady bitch. Liar’s glossy twin, if you will, who’s hella-loud and always hanging out in the background, checking out every one of my moves. Forever throwing out dazzling possibilities mixed with over-promises, both of which never show up.

So now? I’m just starting sideways—not starting over.

I don’t hate how far I’ve come, so I’m not starting over because it’s unnecessary and exhausting. I’m not beginning with a cuter plan or some neatly put together 5-year timeline either. And I’m definitely not waiting for a magical blessing from the Productivity Fairy.

I’m just…doing the things. All the things.

Whatever sticks, sticks. Whatever falls does so because I realized that what I thought it was…it wasn’t. Or more likely that something better pulled my excitement and took its spot. I’m okay with my digital junk bin filling up with discarded ideas, because I’ll just keep moving right along. No more stopping because I don’t know — to the letter — how it’ll turn out. That’s just part of the journey.

I’m in a season where I finally have a little more me time. And I’m selfishly and deliciously hoarding that energy for me and my hanging-on-by-a-shoestring, soulful ventures.

My Mission: To do All the Things!

• Publishing my 31-Day Guided Journal–CHECK

• Creating artful designs to offload my visual passion–CHECK

• Writing blog posts–STARTING HERE… CHECK

• Completing my novel–DEFINITELY ON TRACK TO COMPLETION, CHECK

• And is there more to come… CHECK, CHECK and CHECK!

I’m tossing the guilt for being multi-passionate. Wishing I was or could niche down, start with project A, ride that for X years—become immensely successful and then, and only then, pick up project B. That’s not me. Picking a lane never worked for me—because honestly, I want the whole damn highway.

And where will starting sideways take me—or you?

To wherever I’m meant to be, explore and/or enjoy. I don’t wholeheartedly know—and that’s not just OK, it’s exciting and a perfect place for me. It’s a plan I can actually work with. I’m still moving. Creating. Testing. Trying. I’m giving myself the grace to just do the things, even if they’re weird, risky, or struggling to finish.

The saying, “perfect is the enemy of good,” is often attributed to Voltaire, the prominent French writer, philosopher, and historian. And while I agree, I’m no Voltaire, but I’ll take it in a slightly different direction and a lot less polished: “selectivity, with the mindset of solely focusing on one thing or idea to ‘win’, is a sad, sad scam.”

Do it how you can.
Do it how you want.
Start where you are.

Start sideways… but just start.