Be awesome or don’t bother.

It’s my motto, an epiphany I had shortly before I started this blog.

I coined it, I wrote it, and I am encouraging you to make it yours as you see fit, no attribution to me required.

Some people have told me they might get a tattoo saying it. My dad put it on his email signature. And I’ve been super moved to hear colleagues tell me that they’ve adopted it or even altered it slightly for their own needs — such as the badass editor who told me she started saying “Be awesome without apology” to herself, and it helped her overcome her impostor syndrome.

If “Be awesome or don’t bother” resonates with you, I hope you will use it. You don’t need my permission, though it is sweet of you to ask. I’m proud of you. You’re undoubtedly awesome.