Best-Selling Author | Poet | TEDx Presenter
Musicians and songwriters influence my work and poetry. The melodies and lyrics form a creative foundation.
A couple of months ago, I wrote this poem after watching a show about Helen Ready and her famous song, I Am Women.
My mother played the album, and as a child, I remember hearing Helen sing – I Am Women. To celebrate National Women History month – here’s my poem, inspired by Helen Reddy, I Am Women.
Frozen Frozen to the bone Burn all that's around to survive A freeze that shouldn't of shut us down Frozen darkness Hours on end Freezing cold Freezing cold Tapping a person's soul Searching for strength Hours upon hours Digging for courage Freezing in the dark Electricity, water, food, everything of need evaporates Never knowning when relief will arrive Despair grows Deepens into memories of tomorrow Cold, brittle bones break into Pilling up, alongside the ill planning of others, who, beyond the shallow halls watch from afar While families toss childhood dreams into the flames to melt away the ice The loss is immeasurable The cost is astronomical Frozen
Frozen by Tiffany Sunday © Copyright 2021
All Rights Reserved.
Today, with a greater awareness of the link between dyslexia and entrepreneurship, organizations are thinking of ways to help dyslexic founders develop their ideas into concepts and launch sustainable businesses.
As a result of recent conversations, I am once again sharing my dyslexia startup wish list.
First – do not water down anything or hyper-focus on fixing our weaknesses. Instead, share a list of apps or software, or strategies to mitigate and outsource.
Over the years, the one thing that has pissed me off the most is the misguided perception of providing resource room accommodations instead of professional business advisement.
The best course of action is to ask neurodiverse entrepreneurs what they need to develop their ideas into viable products and services.
All startups need access to qualified business professionals and advisors such as IP attorneys, business attorneys, accountants, HR professionals (for hiring) to ask questions and discuss matters.
We need professional introductions to individuals we can trust to provide the following: nutshell required legal documents and strategic advisement for potential legal, financial, and tax business exposures, the nitty-gritty for filing patents and IP protection, and accounting matters that our dyslexic brain prefers to outsource.
Dyslexic entrepreneurs need introductions to professional advisors who understand and respect us, our way of thinking, and how most of their decisions are made by a gut feel.
We’re 50 steps ahead and in our minds see the whole business, how the product will be built, target customers, marketing, everything. The entire concept is in our minds. When we make decisions, it’s based on our gut and a combination of all the actions we’ve taken to develop the idea and business. We back into concepts since we see the finished product.
Create an incubator and group fireside chats for neurodiverse founders and entrepreneurs to share ideas, discuss lessons learned, and seek feedback. No business owner has enough time in the day to make all the mistakes while building a business.
By sharing with others, dyslexia / neurodiverse style, we can reduce the errors and accelerate the business. We need a space to share concepts as we are always thinking of ideas, solving problems, and anticipating the future.
In 2015, I wrote Dyslexia’s Competitive Edge, which discussed the connection between dyslexia and entrepreneurship and shared strategies from fellow dyslexic business owners and professionals. I also gave a TEDx Talk Dyslexia 2.0: The Gift of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Mind.
Birds on a Wire is a poem from Proper Grey Areas, my second poetry book. A previous relationship inspired the essence of this poem. During one of my morning runs, I noticed a group of birds sitting on a power line. The birds stared at each other and stared down at me as I pause to look at them.
I thought, so often in relationships, we can become distant from one another. We watch each other thinking the other person will reach out to make a connection to strengthen the relationship. Instead, inaction occurs, both parties become immobile.
A couple of days before New Year’s Eve, I made a last-minute decision to change our road trip to Santa Fe, NM. My soul was craving downtime. As we drove along 1-40 and then north on 295, my mind relaxed as I watched the passing terrain. I needed physical and mental space to declutter my thoughts and reassess everything.
On our first night in Santa Fe, we order a to-go dinner from the Apothecary restaurant. My son ordered a buffalo burger with feta fries, and I had roasted tomato bisque with a salad. The food was fresh and delicious.
The next day, we ordered takeout breakfast from Cafe Pasqual’s of warm buttery pancakes, turkey bacon, and potatoes. Following breakfast, my son asked to drive to the Ski Santa Fe and explore the walking trails near the ski lodge.
As we walked along the trails near the Ski Santa Fe ski lodge, as the wind raced through the majestic trees, I paused to cherish the calmness of the moment. With each step, I examined my fears, some inherited, that have influenced my decisions.
With the disruption of normalcy, I made a choice to no longer allow these fears to silence my goals and dreams. I asked the mountain for strength to name these fears, and then the courage and determination to push past these fears to reach my writing goals. I sought the encouragement to fully express myself as a poet. With the release of Proper Grey Areas, it felt a release of creative energy.
Our trip was short, three days total. On our return, we slept in my son’s truck at a Love’s Travel Stop which my son thought was cool.
I think about our trip and creatively refreshed I feel since our return. I have tentatively penciled in another short road trip in March. Keeping my fingers crossed that we can revisit the mountains.
Borrowed spaces are stores, places, anywhere we go outside our homes to feel better. Subconsciously we’re hunting a sensory and emotional fed to fill a void. We seek out places that feel like a second home, a place in our memories that fills us with reassurance, joy, and love.
We seek out places to feel safe and protected. Other spaces instantly relax us, allowing for a brief moment to escape from the stress of the world.
To sit under a star lite sky in a hot tub on a cold winter’s evening. Or to sit by the fireplace with a cup of tea or glass of wine, staring into the flames, thinking nothing at all, giving our minds a chance to relax. Or walking into our favorite store, the warmth of the greetings we feel as we enter the space.
Our eyes carefully view the items, our creativity exploring all possibilities, as we slowly walk through the store. During the holidays, seasonal aromas fill the air, with the offering of warm apple cider.
We all have our go-to places. These places become part of our soul over time, preferred beach house, mountain cabin, or favorite vacation city. Our soul marks these places as “ours,” often refusing to let go.
With the world turned upside down, we are prevented from visiting our borrowed spaces, creating a feeling of loss. The anchor we need to fill the void grows larger with each passing day. The need intensifies as the void feels overwhelming as we search for an alternative.
As a visual creative, I need to see, touch, and feel what I am purchasing. Unable to visit my “borrowed spaces” invokes a feeling of sadness, especially with the approaching holidays. The laugher, light conversations, and energy of these spaces are silent.
One night last week, I drove around and looked at my favorite stores. Briefly, I stepped inside a bookstore; it is an obsession. Two other customers and I were the only ones in the store, so maintaining a safe distance was not a problem. I had, too, for a moment, to feel the security of one of my borrowed spaces.
Yes, I was wearing my protective gear and made sure to keep an expanded distance of more than 10 feet. All the beautiful books, journals, and holiday gifts awaiting, tempting me.
To be safe for all, I returned home to burrow, once again, counting the days to visit my borrow spaces.