“After the first glass of vodkayou can accept just about anythingof life even your own mysteriousnessyou think it is nice that a boxof matches is purple and brown and is called La Petite and comes from Swedenfor they are words that you know and that is all you know words not their feelings or what they mean and you write because you know them not because you understand them because you don't you are stupid and lazy and will never be great but you do what you know because what else is there?”
— Frank O'Hara
View social media caption
“After the first glass of vodka you can accept just about anything of life even your own mysteriousness... you write because you know them not because you understand them... but you do what you know because what else is there?” — Frank O’Hara. Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is let go of needing to be extraordinary and simply embrace being human. How do you silence self-doubt when it tells you you're not enough? Share your thoughts below! ✨
About this quote
We often carry the crushing weight of expecting ourselves to be extraordinary, brilliant, and completely self-aware before we feel worthy of creating or living fully. Frank O’Hara pierces through that illusion with disarming honesty, reminding us of the gentle peace that arrives when we finally surrender to our own mysterious, imperfect humanity. In admitting our limitations—that we don't fully understand life, feelings, or even ourselves—we are paradoxically set free from the exhausting performance of perfectionism. Life is not asking you to solve every existential mystery or attain effortless greatness. Real beauty often hides in the simplest observations: the colors of a humble box of matches, familiar words spoken in quiet moments, and the courage to keep creating simply because it is what you know how to do. Imposter syndrome and self-doubt may tell you that you are not enough, but doing what you love anyway is the ultimate act of defiance and self-compassion. Take this as a gentle reminder to honor your craft and your journey, even when you feel small or uncertain. You do not need absolute certainty to begin, nor do you need to be a master of the universe to share your piece of it. Show up faithfully with what you have, embrace your quiet mysteries, and keep moving forward—because what else is there?
Photo Credit:
Photo by 晓鸟 蓝 on Pexels
