Tell me I can't do something...

Go on. I dare you.

Telling me that I can't do something is the easiest way to get me to do it. Not only that, but I'll do it better than you could have ever imagined. Except with stuff like laundry. If you tell me I can't do laundry I'll wholeheartedly agree and take you dress shopping.*

My English teacher told me I'd fail my GCSE. Nice. I didn't. I passed and went on to do get a degree in English Literature. I remember being so angry with her. English was my thing. It was what I did. How dare she stand there and tell me I was shit?

It sounds silly and pointlessly stubborn but it's helped me so much recently. I'm learning to challenge myself. This week I've worked so hard at pushing myself to do new things. I've tried writing articles that I wouldn't usually write. I've written about topics I find daunting and for audiences that are a bit out of my depth. I may not have been entirely happy with what I wrote, but I can only get better. I'm getting out of my comfort zone.

It's been fun too. I've learnt new things about the way I write and I've been dealing with new people. I've been getting myself out there in the best way possible.

The producer from Sex and The City was in The Hospital Club last night. She read my article about the film and before I knew it, web hits were through the roof. Important people are reading my work. My work is making an impact. Yay!

The (still top secret) website is going really well and some brilliant people are getting involved and in full support of what I'm doing. I vaguely remember some idiot telling me that I can't be an editor...

I might not do things right first time around. But I'm learning from my mistakes and I'm still pushing myself to do things I've never done before. I'm enjoying challenging myself and I'm enjoying the challenges put in front of me.

So go on. Tell me I can't do something. Dare you.

* note to self: I really should do my laundry this week.