permission

There’s an old saying about how it’s better ask forgiveness than permission.

But I think it’s better to not ask for either one.

I wasted so much of my life waiting—perhaps subconsciously—for someone to give me permission to live. Permission to change things. Permission to color outside the lines a little bit. To have fun. Even for things as basic as wearing black, dying my hair, getting a tattoo, it took me a while before I let myself do it. It took even longer for me to allow myself more important things like becoming a writer and then writing what I really wanted to say.

With these soul-deep desires, I absolutely did not need to ask anyone’s permission. But I didn’t know that. And so I waited too many years, wanting someone to tell me it was alright to be me.

I didn’t need that permission. I already had it.

You don’t need to wait for my permission. You don’t need anyone’s permission. Just do it.

If it’s something that speaks to you, that you’ve been waiting to do, then go do it. And stop waiting for someone else to allow it.