My Life as an Effing Swan

S. R. Karfelt/The GlitterGlobe

The power of words does not surprise me; after all I wield them for a living. What does surprise me is how a damaging comment can cut and alter another’s psyche. It’s astonishing how we can accept someone else’s words and not only open our hearts to them, but allow those words to grow inside us and to shape our lives.

• You’re fat.
• You’re skinny.
• You’re ugly.
• You’re the funny one.
• You’re the weird one.

We swallow words and we make them real. Some part of us knows the truth and fights against lies. We’ll struggle to become what we yearn to be deep inside. But we won’t just claim the life we want as we are now because we believe the lies. We’re not good-looking enough. We’re not smart enough. We’re not rich enough. Yet.

Once we do whatever it takes to become good-looking enough, smart enough, or wealthy enough then we can have our dream life because then we'll deserve it.

BULLSHIT.

Yes. I’m calling bullshit on that.

You don’t have to change a damn thing to embrace your life and morph an Ugly Ducking attitude into an Effing Swan. How do I know this? Because I did it. I took my fat-legged, flat-bottomed, sub-par-educated-self and embraced a rock-star life.

• I’ve enjoyed movie-star worthy kissing.
• And rode off into the sunset.
• Lived Happily Ever After.
• Danced like no one was watching when they were.
• Made huge mistakes and lived.
• Failed and Succeeded.
• Taken Risks.
• Eaten cake without apology.
• And Once Upon a Timed my Everyday.

Recently I read the post of fellow writer, Kelsey Keating, someone whose work I’ve enjoyed, and someone who is very involved in the writing world. She’s someone I’ve seen help other writers succeed, but I’ve watched her hesitate to take risks that would give her work wings. When I finally learned what’s been holding her back I also got to see her get past it, embrace her life and admit publicly that she now knows she’s an Effing Swan. Bam, Kelsey!

It made me want to shout the one thing I know to be true.

There is nothing you have to become or do before you can embrace your life and live it.

Because you too are an Effing Swan.

Do you believe me? 

Are you trapped in an Ugly Ducking place or can you embrace your Effing Swan? 

If you truly believe in your inner Swandom, will you help us reach other swans? Use the hashtag #EffingSwan on public media and help us spread the word. 

Now show me your Effing Swan, I showed you mine. Tell me a story about how you've embraced your Effing Swan?