Took me a while to decide Adulthood is a myth, to realize we’re all making it up as we go. And it took me even longer to give myself permission to not know, letting myself make it up, to #DoItMessy, maybe even 😲 be wrong. 

Perhaps this realization is why it feels odd to me to have mentees. 

I am so proud of them, and I’m honored, truly, that I get to be a part of the journey. 

But I also feel a great responsibility to be forthright in my answers to questions, to be Correct. Some questions I’m fairly certain of. Others I caveat with a “this was my experience as a white, cis woman.”
But each cohort, there is always one question I cannot answer. 

“Am I ready?”

Sometimes there’s a blank in that question. Am I ready to apply for this job, submit for this badge, publish my portfolio, turn in my resignation? It’s a question I’ve asked mentors during my journey with IDOL courses Academy  (on more than one occasion 😅).

Ready implies all the boxes are checked, but one can always do more.

Ready implies knowledge has been acquired, but one can always learn more. 

Ready implies a finish line, but one is only at the beginning. 

Much like adulthood, I think “being ready” is a myth.
The answer to “am I ready?” may not matter so much as “have I prepared?” Prepared implies having enough but not necessarily everything, of being able to adjust and adapt. Prepared feels more attainable than Ready. 

Though that Answer still lives with the person asking. 

Mentors and colleagues can give encouragement.

But only we give ourselves permission.

Written by: Mandy Brown

💜Mandy Brown (she/her) is a fiercely neurodivergent, all-boats-rise kind of person. She posts about neurodivergence, trauma-informed choices, her daughter’s business skills, and other topics on LinkedIn. And yes, she loves emojis and would be happy to connect. 😉