Clayton Missouri - January 2021 - Welcome to my personal blog. I am grateful that you are reading this.

I plan to use this blog to share thoughts, opinions and insights on a variety of matters do not fall under the umbrella of my entrepreneurial journey with StorySMART. In short, this is my personal platform to opine.

I suffer no illusions that it will be widely read or shared. This blog is more for me than anyone else. Allow me to explain.

For the better part of my life, I have satisfied myself with simply showing up and being included.

Throughout my life I defaulted to doing whatever it takes to simply belong. I have worshiped at the alter of being liked. I have been what others call a "people pleaser." I suspect that stems from losing my father at a young age. When you lose a parent as a child, it is natural to feel abandoned and insecure. My posture around others emanated from those feelings.

For me, the loss of my dad had the effect of turtling up my approach to many things in my life. Staying safely in my shell. This included keeping my thoughts to myself. Growing up in a house with two emotionally sensitive women reinforced this behavior. I learned to tiptoe on eggshells and keep my thoughts to myself for fear that it would result in someone crying.

While my outward posture may have been quiet and reserved, I can assure you that I have lived a vibrant life within my own head. There is a lot going on in there 24/7. So much so that being present in the here and now can be a challenge. That is one of the reasons I've launched this blog. To get things out of my head.

This blog is about letting go of keeping things bottled up in my head. My goal is to get thoughts out of my head and on paper (or a digital screen). This blog is about expression. Think of this as the Millennial or Gen Z version of Ron. I will try to write without parsing my words or worshiping at the alter of being liked by everyone.

Why do I want to be liked by everyone when I don't like everyone? That makes no sense.

I will use this blog to get things off my chest and out of my head. I have no intended audience other than myself. I clear my thoughts when I can get them out of my head.

I will likely weigh in on things I shouldn't. I will upset a person or two along the way. I might even hurt my chances to win over a potential client who doesn't like my views. I hope that isn't the case, but so be it.

If I offend you with my beliefs than we were not going to work well together anyway. One of my core strengths has always been working well with people who don't see the world the way I do. Frankly, most people don't see things the way I do. I am great with that. I have tried to respect others perspective and be kind and diplomatic with my approach.

I'm not sure my writing will always reflect that. Diplomatic writing is boring. On the other end, I don't expect to set the world on fire either.

I would like to tell you in advance that I am sorry about offending folks along the way, but I think it would be disingenuous or insincere. I can't be too concerned with that if I really have something worthwhile to say.

If I make somebody feel something in response to something I write then I am accomplishing something worthwhile.

That is the job of a writer. Get you to feel something, to think about things in a new way. If I make your blood boil with what I write then "wow" and buy a mirror. My words are not the issue. You are.

I expect I will talk about politics and public policy. I can't not. I was the kid in school that excelled at current events and social studies. I haven't been able to change that. Won't. Don't want to.

I've mostly kept my thoughts to myself, but I don't think I would be doing a democracy any good by staying silent as I see corrosive behavior undermining it.

Withholding isn't a good thing in a democracy like ours that I believe may be on the verge of collapse. I say that because my faith in the system is eroding and I believe yours is too. It is the one thing I suspect I have in common with those that have views opposite of mine.

If you read a post and feel something, my request is to say something to me. Any thing goes. Leave a comment.

Provide feedback. Tell me how I am wrong. Offer a different perspective. Challenge an idea. Provide your opinion. Back it up with facts.

I promise I will listen and consider what you say. I may not agree with you, but I will respect your thoughts and your right to express them.

I simply ask the same in return.

Thank you.