Dear World

Please Kill Me,

Greetings, my weekend warriors – as always welcome back to my literary trenches.

Pressure – the unholy marriage of stress and expectations. It’s clutches can be quite the trial -for those in attendance who aren’t writer’s – this is why we drink ( and/or pretend not to).

I believe that Kanye West said it best, ” what genius do you know that ain’t crazy?” But rest assured, this symptom of insanity comes from a very sane place ( to be honest- in this arena- most of the crazy things do).

Imagine pulling a constant trapeze act with multiple worlds, realms, and thoughts. Your mind on a persistent tilt, as you attempt to reckon them with one another. You’ve built something great, however with that greatness -comes the internal need for perfection. Add that to a deadline, and you’ve got yourself a madness cocktail, swirling about your psyche.

Now I know that sounded like a morbid John Lennon, but these are the thoughts that plague all creatives, mostly to their benefit (as far as expression is concerned), but also at times to their mental (and physical) detriment.

It’s trippy trying to explain those feelings to anyone not in the thick of literary war with you. The anxiety mounts as the inability to express that (which is basically a poison; because we are emotionally expressive people by profession) giving birth to pressure.

The pressure to succeed, against the odds. To prove our worth. To justify our risk. It’s very real, and extremely scary. The feeling of freefall is only fun for adrenaline junkies. Being that we are a sedentary bunch, you can probably assume the severity of that internal conflict.

Now, I’m not going to say that this feeling can’t be harnessed for good, but it’s a tiresome tango. It’s the not knowing of it all.

Since we’re on the same page now, I’d like to talk to my brothers (and sisters) in literary arms.

It is imperative that we over come the pressure. There is no magical cure. Nor perfect answer. But we need to find a way to quell the pressure before it detours us -fulfilling our fearful prophecy of failure.

Go for a walk. Watch a movie. Read. Do whatever you can to silence the beast that is pressure.

The solution is different for everyone, however I do have some homework for you. Today, take an hour for yourself, and discover what relieves the pressure for you. You may not need it now, but you’ll be glad you’ve uncovered this tool before you need it, and not after you’ve begun the self sabatoging.

I know this post was a little dark, so here’s a picture of a puppy.

All better? Good.

Eat what deters you, and shit out GOLD.

Til Mañana ,

-Antwan Crump.