When I was 14, my dad bought me a bracelet that read ‘redefine the impossible’. How fitting since it was father’s day this month. I knew from then that that would be my mantra in life.
June has been hectic, I completed my Master’s degree, organised a destination wedding, was the translator/interpreter for the wedding and set up an office space for the wonderful things coming to Scriptoeris.
Like many of you, I adored American rom-coms growing up, they encouraged us though to choose ‘a box’, we had to define ourselves. Were we an athlete? A nerd? One of the popular girls? Even St. Trinian’s added posh totties. Most recently, the ‘duff’? This didn’t happen unintentionally though, from birth we are defined and then even more so as we get older, we have the freedom to choose to be blonde, brunette or a red-head. Even as young girls, I remember the quizzes concluding if we were tomboys or girly girls.
Thanks to my wanderlust spirit and growing up abroad, I now speak several languages and have previously done some translation work but I still struggled with taking on this new role for the wedding. Could I refer to myself as a translator as well? Could I add it to my profile next to freelance journalist and editor? I was killing myself thinking I was trying to fit too many titles next to each other and I wouldn’t be taken seriously, under the impression I was being a jack of all trades and master of none. When launching a website or blog, experts advise us to choose a niche. I have always found this bizarre, how many people could really choose one field they are interested in?
As I sit here though, the following day with leftover cake I realise that I would never have turned down this role as wedding organiser/translator/interpreter. I had the incredible opportunity to conduct a wedding as well as watch it all unfold, I have spent two years cake tasting, venue spotting and wedding dress shopping. I haven’t pursued a traditional career path or taken up a conventional 9-5 but my life is exciting and a rollercoaster. I have stopped trying to put myself in a box and have instead, chosen to be undefinable. I would encourage you to stop classifying your website as one thing, trying to tagline your life too and instead throw away the ‘box’ completely.
Of course, all of the wedding photos are on my Instagram: editor_scriptoeris