thank you exposition

I'm thinking on the shape of this mahi, what I offer to the world and how much do I need to edit and position myself based on what I think others may want or need to hear, let alone all the algorithms and SEO and the like.

I guess it would be naive to ignore all of that entirely but if I start my own business more on the premise of the needs of others than representing my authentic self and how I show up in the world as myself then I think I'm doing myself and the kaupapa I believe in a disservice. Not to mention likely heading back down the path to burnout.

What is my unique value? I've struggled with this one for years and my answer often feels like nothing.

In the eleventh hour of my research a version of this came together for me through a pep talk from the academic director where I studied, and a paper I read and loved on creative methodology.

The pep talk responded to a question on how to feel confident about the presentation/defense which formed half of our submissions for masters. He said that we could feel confident because we're the experts right now. The only ones at the exact centre of our personal and professional experiences, and the research we've done.

The skains paper talked about the value of creative practice to academia and how to communicate the contribution to knowledge of a piece of work. It's not just about producing the piece, but the reflection on it and its place in context.

What stuck with me and combined with the other message was this concept of seeing an opportunity and having the skills and experience to recognise that opportunity, to do something about that and create something, to write about it and its relevance. We can do this because again we're the only one at that intersection of lived experience, professional experience, research experience, and place in time - and we answered the call.

To me this is not a platitude, it is irrefutable and it has been such a valuable mindset shift for me. Of course it also overlaps the unique value concept in product/service design as well.

This underpins creation of tiny forest collective - my audacity to claim space and offer services, to write, create, connect.