NdukuOutLoud

To say I’ve had nothing to write about these past few weeks would be a lie. It is, however, true that I have not written anything anyway.

A swirl of thoughts have passed through my mind. Things I’d love to share. Yet, translating them into something meaningful, helpful, and still interesting? That has been a challenge. And, honestly , it’s the meaningful part I struggle with most.

Maybe it’s because I know that there’s not a new thing under the sun. Whatever idea I have been playing with has likely been though before-maybe even better, deeper. And without the time to properly research, my sources feel limited, and so do my words.

Lately I’ve been questioning whether the ideas I have are even valid.

Take today, for example. I was wearing very pretty undergarments. Not the everyday ones-the prettiest of the lot. The kind that made me feel good-but also a little sad, because no one would see them. Single girl problems. And that sparked something.

We all have beautiful things inside-thoughts, ideas, emotions-that we wish others could witness. But often, we don’t share them. We hold them back. Not because they’re unworthy, but because we’re unsure who is meant to receive them.

Sure, there are places I could post a picture where it might be appreciated, but those aren’t the spaces I want. And that made me wonder: if I really wanted to be seen, what’s stopping me?

Maybe it wasn’t about being seen at all-but being seen by someone who understands and values me. I think that’s what most of us want. Not just attention, but appreciation from people who actually know us. That kind of validation hits different.

It’s not wrong to crave connection, validation. But the trouble starts when the absence of that audience prevents us from doing the thing altogether. We stop creating, stop trying, stop sharing-because no one’s watching.

But we were not built to wait for permission. We need o do the thing anyway. For ourselves. With or without applause.

So, I did. I shared the picture-with friends. It was a small step, but a meaningful one. And also a great reminder of how lucky I am to have them. This ‘go for what you want’ mindset is still new to me. But step by step, I’m learning: to act without waiting for approval. To share without needing permission. To just.. do.

Little by little, I am getting there. And if you’re reading this, maybe you are too.