Because I Can

At Thursday’s Creativity Conference in New York, I had the privilege of hearing speaker, spoken word performance artist, and producer Allié Merrick McGuire tell the story of a friend who volunteered to run a marathon in her name.

Allié was a runner, until she wasn’t.

When she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, she stopped running.

Through tears, she asked her friend, Why?

Why would you take on a full marathon on my behalf?

Her friend replied, “Because I can.”

Allié made that reply her battle cry.

She couldn’t run a full marathon, or even a half, but when she saw an opportunity to run an eight-mile stretch 🏃🏿‍♀️, she asked herself the same question:

Why?

And her answer?

Because I can.

She did that and so much more.

At the end of her presentation, Allié left us with a question:

What is something you want to do, but haven’t?

Allow me to put that same question to you.

Do you want to:

• Participate in a conference or creative convening?

• Audition for a gig?

• Ask for a conversation, a recommendation, or help?

• Apply for a residency, grant, competition, or membership?

• Complete a project that’s been on your heart for too long?

If you’re waiting, doubting, or grilling yourself for a reason why you haven’t done it yet…

🎨 Try flipping the question.

Why would I audition, apply, or ask for help?

Over the past eight months, I’ve been putting my assets together to attract opportunities to speak to bigger audiences—to be in the room where the magic of transformation happens.

That big opportunity hasn’t arrived yet.

But that doesn’t mean I have to wait.

I want to keep doing this new thing that makes me feel alive.

Why?

Because I can.

And when I feel into that truth, I start to take action toward what I want to create, feel, and experience.

Here’s what that looks like today:

• Inviting a collaborator to co-produce our own speaker event

• Saying Yes! to a colleague who invited me to speak at her local Chamber of Commerce’s first summer event

• Applying for another TEDx (and asking for help with the application!)

Producing an event is a heavy lift.

So is running a marathon.

So is training to run eight miles while living with MS.

It won’t all be a success. There will be failure, rejection, and disappointment.

So why do it?

Because I can.

What’s something you long to create in your life, but haven’t yet?

I really want to know. 👇

xo,

Naomi

P.S. Learn more about Allié’s incredible work in performance, media, and film at Aware Now Media.

P.P.S. Any woman on this list is invited to schedule a free 30-minute sample coaching session with me—a mid-year temperature check on your creative commitments. Why try a coaching session to deepen your creative life?

Because you can!