Storyteller and mythologist Martin Shaw is as much a philosopher as anyone I’ve read. He’s Irish and steeped in that history of storytelling, which if you’ve read such stories, know they are quite rich in lesson.

In a recent post of his in Emergence Magazine, he spoke of embracing mystery, which could be interpreted in embracing uncertainty as well. It also spoke of embracing who we are, in all its uncomfortable uncertainty.  So studying mystery turned into a study of ourselves.

“Accept the challenge of uncertainty. As a matter of personal style. It’s the right thing to do. We get older, we find life is riven with weirdness. We should be weird too.”

Like water seeks its level, most of the world seeks a level life. As you can read in abundance on social media, most folks fight change, seek blame, and strike out at life not being the “normal” they wish. The real goal should be embracing who we are and what we wish to become, not make others fit our mold.

“Stay honest to the shape you came here to embody. Refuse to be a hologram or engage in acts of ventriloquism.”

Writers, especially, seek originality. But all too often we see success and start emulating what others fought hard to become from scratch. Therefore, our originality goes out the window. If you have a project in mind, own it. If you have the type of writer etched in your head, own it.

“When you are trying to be honest in your loves, your dealings, your fundamental ground, you begin to become authentically yourself.”

Many have not come to grips with who they are. Authenticity and comfort in your skin is charismatic for others. That is a hefty part of finding success.

“Such honesty will also introduce both limit and consequence into your life. It creates a code, a kind of gallantry.”

When you can define who you are and what you want to be, when you create parameters in what you’re willing to do and sacrifice, when you accept what writing means to you in a big-picture way, you become so much stronger.