March 21, 2024
“Stress really sucks. Innermost feelings.”
Reading Time: 3 mins
OLPD Entry
“Stress really sucks. Innermost feelings.”
Expanded OLPD Entry
For those that aren't familiar with me, I helped co-found a tech company called Shotlist approximately four years ago. Shotlist aims to streamline and minimize the touch points between where you find your inspiration and where you build your Shotlist. Our primary ethos is to assist creators in telling better stories, conducting better shoots, presenting more professionally, competing for bigger budgets, impressing clients, and winning jobs.
The company has been a blessing more than I could have imagined. However, no job is perfect. We live with the blessings God bestows on us when they present themselves, even when those blessings are stressful or filled with challenges that seem too high to climb. For many years, I've challenged myself in new growing fields such as business, design, and customer experience, greatly admiring the work God has been doing in my life because of it. This particular week has been exceptionally challenging. I'll just keep it at that.
I really dislike the phrase "Imposter syndrome" in the tech world. In my opinion, it originates from a world where the basis of competence and success lack no firm ground, often crumbling under feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt. Doubting one's own abilities erodes one's self-esteem to the point where the individual seems themselves as frauds. That's unwise and will only lead to harm.
In my four years within this ever-changing company, I will mention that I've struggled with similar feelings of self-doubt, only to be reminded that inadequacy is only a selfish thought one can have when one forgets where their strength or accomplishments lie: Christ and His strength. For anyone who needed to hear it, it's not too late. I'm not calling you out but more so challenging you to reflect on your innermost feelings and ask yourself if those inner thoughts are founded on Christ or just some accomplishment or success you so willingly try and strive for. If so, let it go. And if you are feeling inadequate about such accomplishments, like we do sometimes, stop what you're doing and acknowledge God's role for giving you the abilities to accomplish these tasks in the first place. Your views turn from competence and success about one's self to the achievements made possible by Christ's strength.
Pods & Tunes
In 1971, Billy Joel shared an extraordinary gift: "She's Got a Way". It'll always remain deeply cherished by me because it was the very song I danced to Iris on our wedding day. Hope you enjoy.
Learning Corner
A Piece of Science
“Expressive writing, which involves writing about traumatic or emotional experiences, has been linked to improvements in both physical and psychological health. This therapeutic method typically involves writing sessions where participants explore their deepest thoughts and feelings, leading to significant health benefits compared to writing about neutral topics. The exact mechanisms behind these benefits are still being studied, but they may include emotional catharsis, cognitive processing, and confronting previously inhibited emotions.” (Source)
A Piece of History
“The history of writing began with systems of proto-writing, which were ideographic and mnemonic symbols, not fully capable of representing spoken language. True writing, capable of accurately reconstructing linguistic utterances by later readers, developed later. The earliest forms of writing were used for documenting agricultural transactions in ancient Sumer but soon expanded to other areas like finance, religion, and law, facilitating the spread of knowledge and centralization of political power.” (Source)
A Word or Two
Word: “scurrilous” (adjective, “scur • ri • lous”) (Source)
What it means:
- :using or given to coarse language
// scurrilous imposters who used a religious exterior to rob poor people—Edwin Benson - :containing obscenities, abuse, or slander
// scurrilous accusations
"scurrilously" (adverb)
"scurrilousness" (noun)