Have you ever had one of those moments when an idea hits you like a lightning bolt? Your mind starts racing, and you think, This is it. This is genius. You feel the rush of creativity flowing through you as you start fleshing out your thoughts, jotting down notes, maybe even sketching or outlining the details. It’s a beautiful, exhilarating feeling—until the little voice creeps in.
Wait a minute… this feels familiar.
You pause. You search your memory, and then maybe Google (let’s be honest). And there it is: your “brilliant” idea is suddenly staring back at you… in someone else’s blog post, book, or business concept.
Cue the deflation.
For a while, I used to let moments like this derail me. The feeling of unoriginality can sting, especially when you’re someone who thrives on creating, dreaming, and bringing something fresh to the table. But as I’ve come to learn—especially in my journey as a homeschooling mom, student, and blogger—originality is rarely as simple as “no one’s ever thought of this before.”
Everything Is a Remix
The reality is, ideas don’t appear out of nowhere. They’re built on the stories we’ve heard, the lessons we’ve learned, and the lives we’ve lived. Creativity isn’t about conjuring something from a void—it’s about recognizing the sparks around us and shaping them into something that feels true, something that carries our own unique imprint.
When I think about it that way, I realize that originality isn’t about being the first person to ever think a thought. It’s about being the first me to express it.
What Makes It Mine
Let’s say I decide to write a post about balancing homeschooling and grad school while chasing health goals. Is that a groundbreaking, never-been-done topic? Of course not. But what makes it mine is the way I approach it:
The voice I bring to the page (equal parts chaos and humor, because… life).
The personal anecdotes that only I can share
The perspective I bring as someone juggling this particular mosaic of roles and passions.The originality lies not in the topic itself but in the lens through which I view it. And when I remind myself of that, the pressure to “be the first” melts away.
When Inspiration Strikes
Now, when I feel that spark of creativity and realize my idea isn’t entirely original, I don’t stop. Instead, I ask myself:
What drew me to this idea in the first place?
How can I infuse it with my voice, my experience, and my perspective?
Who can I help, connect with, or inspire by sharing this?Because ultimately, the world doesn’t need one groundbreaking idea—it needs your take on it. My goal isn’t to create in isolation; it’s to contribute to a greater conversation, whether that’s through my blog, my book ideas with my best friend, or even my own book ideas.
So, if you’ve ever felt the sting of “someone’s already done it,” I encourage you to pause and remind yourself of this: they haven’t done it your way. And that matters.
Because in a world that’s already seen everything, your voice is the one thing that will always be original.
And that’s pretty darn creative if you ask me.
– Her Mosaic