How to become the main character of your own story

Photo by Kenny Krosky on Unsplash

I am lucky enough to say some of the worst mistakes in my life have been haircuts. I have had quite a few experiments that are still tagged on social media. It's almost like Facebook is trying to remind me daily of what I thought was cool a decade ago. We get it- you live and you learn. I have learned even more in the last year than multiple attempts at making bangs “my look” could ever teach me. Here are a few tips to become the main character in your own story.

1. Write it. Yes, this seems too obvious but it has helped me in the last year when nothing else did. Writing down what I was thankful for and the list of the easy-to-do tasks ( like making your bed) opened up my eyes that I did have a lot to be thankful for in 2020. I was able to say that I accomplished something and cross off at least two or three easy tasks daily. I have been unemployed for most of 2020 and one of the biggest obstacles wasn't figuring out unemployment surprisingly it was falling out of a routine. My whole adult life I have had a job or was within a couple of weeks of getting one and I never had months of nothing but Tiger King reruns to watch. We all know Carol Baskins did something to her ex-husband, right? My point is the main character can have some flaws, but they are always thankful for something.
2. Stop Complaining. This is completely a secondary character’s stick and we all know how annoying that person is if they are on screen too long. I had a rough year, and so did millions, but I can’t complain that past year into a good year. I had to stop complaining not only to external sources but to myself as well. Do I still complain or listen to my friends complain- of freaking course- but I also have allowed myself the space to understand this is a transformation for me and others. I am not going to like the outcome if I don’t try to at least change with the times. We are meant to be uncomfortable in the mess of our lives and strive to do something better.
3. Live. This is the most simple of all my tips and tricks- just keep going. If you think of Finding Nemo and Dory’s advice about keep swimming, you are on the right track. Not every moment has to be spectacular, in fact, most are going to be mundane and boring- but these moments mean you are successfully living. Do something today for you and only you- apply for that job you aren’t 100% sure about, write a poem and share it with a friend, dance unabashedly to Spice Girls’ hit “ Say You’ll Be There” and actually not care about others. Those are my list and you better believe I have done them all. Find what matters to you and your audience will love you for it.

Finally, none of these tips even matter as you are always and will always be the main character of your own story. It depends on you if you want it to be a drama or comedy.