Finding My Voice, One Post at a Time.

Hey there!

(Can I call you all Inklings? Or is it too soon to be labeling this relationship?)

This story isn't exaggerated for sympathy clicks.

It's real.

It's a tiny glimpse into how CanInk came to be - my digital journal, my little corner of the internet where I can finally, unapologetically, be me.

The story begins with Instagram, posting poetry, hoping it might reach others, even if it was just a line or two (Who am I kidding? It was way more than a line or two.). But the insecurities soon took over.
I wondered;
What if people think my words are too personal? What if they judge me?
I started holding back, slowly deleting each poem until nothing was left.

An anonymous account seemed like a way to defend myself and keep sharing without the threat of being scrutinized openly by netizens. But it felt like a half-truth, so it didn't survive either.

Then came LinkedIn, and that was a whole new world of pressure. As the days progressed, so did the fear that came with the desire to share my thoughts. I had to quadruple-check each word, terrified of sounding like I was trying too much, or worse, of being seen as boastful or overly vulnerable for a professional platform.

These insecurities didn't just linger online; they bled into my life. Holding me back, alienating myself from people I cared about, afraid that if I let anyone too close, I'd mess up by displaying my "true colors". I was always on guard, always stressed about what others might think.

That's when it struck me that the problem isn't - being seen - but not allowing myself to be seen, even when I wish to be - seen, heard, and understood. I realized I had been silencing myself because of the opinions I presumed others might have, living behind walls I hadn't realized I'd built. (Who doesn't love a little bit of color after all?)

CanInk was born out of the decision to start ripping those walls down. It's where I enable myself to be open and authentic. I am done hiding. I am done second-guessing each letter, each word, each sentence.

It's time to build my safe space.

If my words resonate with you, stick around as I explore life's unfiltered truths here.

And if this wasn't your thing, that's fine too - thank you for your time.

Because at the end of the day, CanInk speaks for me. And if you're still here, maybe it speaks for you too.

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PS - What if I attach an excerpt of my poems at the end of these posts?

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