What's the worst that could happen?!

Hello guys.

This is a random thought I woke up with, very random but stubborn because the thought won't leave me.
So, here's me talking to myself and I hope somehow, someone that needs to read this would pick a thing or two from my soliloquy.

When I started blogging, I had this vision of just writing out my thoughts in a place for people to read. Thing is, I'm my own best company, I've always been and I realised this as early as my first year in secondary school.
I had tons of pranks up my sleeves to evade seniors sending me on errands. I will compose a full fledged movie with many parts (more like a season film) and begin gisting these seniors. It started with my bunk mate, a very sweet senior Aisha. Aisha was a giver, nice to a fault. For starters, she would find excuses for other seniors not to send me on errands while in the dormitory but I knew the wolves were out there waiting for the day Aisha won't be able to save me. I was super smart for my age. I devised a means to make all these seniors love me. It was only Aisha that was enjoying my fake movies till one day, I encouraged her to literally encourage the others to listen in, afterall, she was a giver, why hoard these sweet movies. And that was it.

A girl whose father couldn't even afford a video cassette player at the time, and all she had was the local NTA and miraculous Galaxy TV station on days when we're able to get the proper spot to hit the white and black TV for it to behave, and whose TV time was scheduled, sat in the midst of almighty seniors sharing fake movies - heck, I didn't even know what the actors and actresses looked like. I only gathered names of popular actors and actresses from movie gists in class when everyone will be trying to prove how current they were with latest movies. I was fortunate to know who Regina Askia, Jim Iyke, Omotola, and this other actress turned evangelist (you see, I don't even remember her name, but she was very popular back then) and a few other Nigerian actors were - thanks to movie times in the dining hall.

After picking a thing or two from all the gists around, I knew who would fit into which role  for my fake movies - from the wicked stepmother to the nice uncle to the prayer warrior wife, pastor, the fetish woman, etc.
Problem solved, seniors loved me, my mates loved me, juniors loved me when I became a senior. Life was good.

I enjoyed myself and laughed inside as many people ohhh-ed and ahhh-ed at my stories. The only problem was getting them to believe a second or third part of the movie was yet to be released. And of course, I never remembered movie titles. Intentional stunt, I wasn't ready to throw all my hard work away by revealing the title to a movie they won't find.*insert mischievous laughter*

At the time, I knew my stunt wouldn't last forever, so I devised other means to retaining my everyone's sweetheart status. And it paid off - from helping people design their books and papers for letters, to composing and singing songs for people, to writing poems, stories,  I even wrote a version of Tess of D'ubervilles, when I felt one chapter was not going the way I thought it would. I was free, I didn't care what anyone thought.

I would write tons of things in a book, things about friends (this one got me into trouble plenty times... lol), about my environment, things happening around me, and in 2014, I decided it was time to let more people read my thoughts

I didn't care if no one commented, or liked, or shared. I just did what was exciting for me, which was to give voice to my thoughts and somehow I found myself writing short stories.

Now, why all the long talk?

I've been stalling so many things in the past two years for fear of flimsy  things like what will people think? What if they don't like it? What if no one comments or likes or buys or this or that?
And I've watched other people do what I think I could have done a million times better because they just didn't care what anyone thought. Or maybe they did, but had this self talk I'm just having with myself now way earlier.

So here's me shouting at myself and anyone else who's been holding back for one reason or the other- "What's the worst that could happen?!" Honestly, I think it's time we just pushed aside what people would think or say or not say and just go for that thing we really want.

I published a very interesting story in 2017 titled A Couple of Three and ever since, I've been looking for ideas to top that story. I have written two other stories after it (Bed of Roses- sequel to ACoT and Hook, Line and Sinker) but I've been feeling a bit disappointed because it seemed people didn't like those stories as much, while forgetting that I had written five other beautiful stories before then, stories worth publishing in a book, very brilliant stories that I go back to read and I honestly find it hard to believe I wrote them (all glory to God for the inspiration, 'cause what does a local girl like me know?).

But today, I say no more. I'm going back to the Faith that honestly just wanted to give life to her imaginations, doesn't matter if no one reads, or comments or likes.
I'm giving myself a pat on the back for my bravery back in the day because truth be told, it's not easy to just ignore what everyone thinks and just write and publish stuff.
But it doesn't change the fact that these parameters are so fickle that we all don't realise how much we're losing out from being alive and free and genuinely happy with ourselves and maximising our potentials.

So today, I'm urging you to sincerely ask yourself what the worst that could happen is with that project you've abandoned, that job you've refused to apply for, that proposal you're failing to pitch, that idea you're stalling to launch, that place you're postponing visitation, and so on.
What really is the worst that could happen?!

If it's just NO or some dead silence like no one saw what you've done or received your application or read your post or watched your video or __________ (insert whatever you think is the worst that could happen), then its not enough to give up.

Get up and try again.

And while you're at it, go read some hilarious things I've written in the past. You'll love them, I promise.

To read any of my beautiful short stories, just type the title in the search bar and all episodes will pop up. Or better still, click the links in front of each title to begin reading the stories straight up.

Titles in order of publication:
The Butterflies:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13

Being Human:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14

Good Riddance:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10

Chasing Shadows (my absolute favourite):
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9

A Couple of Three:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10

Bed of Roses (sequel to ACoT):
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4 
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9

Hook, Line and Sinker: 
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13

Thanks for reading my self motivation. Do drop a comment if you can, and let's encourage one another. 

A new short story series is coming. Keep it locked on here. Tell a friend that Tyfaith's blog is back, and please follow my Instagram page @tyfaithsblog.

Ciao.