5 Burning Questions About Cacti You’ve Been Dying to Ask

It’s been 5 years since I started Capturing Your Confidence and I’ve grown in ways I couldn’t have imagined. What started as a desire to write and help others write has turned into a lifelong passion and the discovery of my true calling. A girl can’t ask for much more than that, can she? 

One of the first things people ask about when they first see my brand and logo is “Why the cactus?” So today, I’m dishing *all about* the cactus and what it means to me and the business.

What’s the story behind the cactus? 

Cacti are weird little plants - at least they’re little where I’m from because they sit on windowsills. In the wild, cacti are huge! Saguaro cactus, the ones with a straight body and arm-looking structures, can grow up to 45 feet tall. 

As I was working on a creative project, I was particularly drawn to an illustrated cactus. It was kind of odd because I'm definitely not known for having a green thumb. Nonetheless, I loved that little cactus for some reason and it stuck with me. As I began researching, I realized why. 

Cacti are incredibly diverse. They’re true survivors. Those sharp spines they grow? They developed those over time not just to protect themselves, but also to provide shade. One spine might not provide a lot of shade, but when they’re taken together as a group, they offer the cactus a modicum of protection from the hot desert sun. 

They live for hundreds of years in desert environments - some of the harshest conditions nature presents - and some even bear flowers and fruit when they’re mature. By the way, cacti become fully mature at around 70 years old, so it’s completely acceptable if you’re hesitant about being a “mature adult” sometimes. In cactus years, we’re all still young.

The cactus symbolizes endurance, strength, and perseverance. They’re truly adaptable to almost any situation. These are all characteristics I think about when I think about people. 

We’ve all experienced the throes of hardship at some point, right? We’ve all been in survival mode at least to some extent. It’s only once we move through and heal that we can begin to live and thrive. 

People, like cacti, are wonderfully varied and often go through transformative periods. We both survive under great odds and thrive where others wilt under pressure. When you think about it, it’s pretty incredible. 

That’s where the Capturing Your Confidence cactus came from. As for me…I’m definitely a little obsessed now. 

What does writing have to do with cacti?

On the surface, not much. But, when you dig a little deeper, it starts to make more sense. 

Writing often feels dangerous, like it might hurt you if you approach it the wrong way. Cacti are, for the most part, covered in small spikes - not exactly something you want to cuddle with. 

When you’re drained and stressed and burned out, creativity seems like it might be a good outlet. But…what if you do it wrong? What if it’s not enough? What if it feels like just another thing on your already way-too-long list? Cacti spend weeks and months in the desert with no water, surviving on their own water supply, which is impressive and sad at the same time. When it does rain, the Saguaro cactus can soak in up to 60 gallons of water. In the same way, life sometimes is almost unbearably heavy. And yet, we survive. Using writing to express yourself can be a much-needed outlet that helps you bear the weight of life. 

Finally, writing can take on any number of forms. Short, long, with pictures, poems, books, and everything in between. Cactus plants come in all shapes and sizes. They’re all pretty neat in their own way, just like writing.

You live in the Midwest, right? So…not anywhere near a real cactus.

Yep! I was born and raised in Indiana and my husband and I (+ our two best boys) live here. 

But, I’ve seen real cacti in the wild when traveling and was duly awed. I also recently acquired a cuddly cactus which I’m in love with – she’s so cute. 

As I continue to do research, I become more fascinated. Just this week I went to the library on the hunt for a book about cacti for something else I’m working on.

Do you really believe people have the same qualities as a cactus? 

100%. 

The technology we have today allows for amazing things in the way of connecting with people all over the world. But, it’s also disconnected us from our environment and nature. I think we can all learn a lot from slowing down and observing what other kinds of creatures and organisms do to survive and thrive.

Cacti provide a wonderful example because they are such true survivors. In the same way, people have an extraordinary ability to survive even in the worst environments we can imagine. The way the mind can process and compartmentalize and still find a way to function - wow.

So, yes. We may not have (visible) spines or stand out in the desert, but we are a lot like cacti in other ways. 

I want to explore my inner cactus strength with writing coaching, what do I do next? 

I’m so excited for you! Let’s do it.

The first step is to read about the options here and book a 15-min call with me to make sure we’re a good match. Fair warning, I’m not about tough love (I mean, I just compared us to cacti, that’s not the vibe). So if that’s what you’re looking for, I’m probably not the coach for you. 

BUT, if you don’t mind *some* woo and you’re looking for someone to guide your creativity and writing out of the burnout/stressed out/stuck desert you’re in, I’m your gal. Grab a chat so you don’t have to try to figure everything out on your own.

Storytelling is an Art, but Writing is a Skill

Sometimes as we read or write, we notice that there’s a big difference between telling a story and the process of writing. Most of us have probably read a book and thought “this is great writing, but the story just isn’t there” or perhaps, “this story was amazing, but the writing... not so much.” Good storytelling and good writing don’t always mean the same thing. 

What is Storytelling? 

Storytelling is the act of speaking/telling or writing a story. It started as oral history: people passing their stories on to others. Folktales are an example of a type of story often passed on through verbal storytelling. Stories have a way of connecting people to each other, and to the culture around them. 

Since its origin, storytelling has developed into many more modes of delivery and consumption. These days, storytelling can include visuals, audio, written words, and videos. It can also utilize more than one mode at once sometimes called multimodal or multimedia writing. An example of multimedia storytelling is picture books, which include both words and images. Movies are also a great example, as they start with a written script which is then transformed via voice, human movement, and words into a movie or TV show. 

Storytelling drives creative writing. Without the story to back up your writing, the words lose their meaning and influence. The writing becomes analytical or scientific rather than creative. Interestingly, analytical writing can become creative if good storytelling is integrated well. 

What is Writing? 

Writing started as a way to record information. It began as a tool for remembering facts, history, and events, more than for telling stories - after all, people could remember stories through oral history. It didn’t matter as much if the stories changed a little over time, but it did matter if events and facts were changed. 

In the digital age, there are many types of writing. For example, manuals, guides, and textbooks are all writing, but so are new articles, magazines, and blog posts. Even social media is writing! Some are based in storytelling, and some are not. Storytelling isn’t necessary for all types of writing.

There aren’t as many modes of writing as there are for storytelling. It has to be written, with words or images. These days, we can also include audio and video, because many stories are taken from the written word and turned into audiobooks. On the other hand, technology also allows people to tell their stories and they can later be written down and/or recorded.

Unlike storytelling, writing doesn't necessarily have to create a story. It can be creative, but ultimately, writing is a means to communicate. It’s another way to connect people to people, but it also connects ideas to people. 

How are Storytelling & Writing Related?

In creative writing, writing and storytelling must be intertwined. We can’t write a creative piece without some aspect of storytelling because it’s the storytelling that drives the plot and story development. 

Whether we are writing books, poems, a magazine article, or some other form of creative writing, there’s always a story behind the piece. It drives a book and keeps the reader wanting more. It anchors a poem to a time, place, or feeling and gives the readers insight into a story in fewer words. 

People’s stories are what drive news stories or magazine articles. Without people telling their stories, magazines would really only be ads and products for sale - and even those have stories in them! 

Storytelling makes writing compelling.

Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, a good story takes the pressure to be perfect off of the writing. Many people will forgive a book for having not-so-good writing if the story is great. It’s much harder to get into a book with really great writing if it lacks an intriguing story to go along with it. 

It can be more difficult to learn good storytelling than good writing, but it’s necessary for skilled creative writing. The reason writing is more easily learned is because it’s a skill that follows rules and guidelines. It can analyze and check boxes. Storytelling sometimes throws those rules out the window, though, which can be harder to accept and master for those of us who thrive on keeping everything orderly.

Not all writers are great storytellers, and that’s okay! Not everyone is meant to be a storyteller. That doesn’t mean they can’t be a good writer, though. There are numerous ways to be a writer without being a good storyteller. For instance, articles and blog posts utilize stories, but they are typically more about telling our own story or someone’s story who you know. You don’t have to come up with entire worlds out of thin air. The main goal of a blog or news article is also to provide information to your reader, not about taking them out of reality in a fantastical world.  

As long as the information is delivered in a well-written and understandable manner, that’s really what matters. The story is an interest point to keep readers entertained. 

The bottom line is that if you want to be a writer, it’s possible!

There’s always time to learn the skill of writing and follow your dreams. You can also learn to be a storyteller, but understand that it will take more time, research, and an abundance of practice to accomplish. 

Don’t let anyone or anything hold you back from going after your dreams. There are many books, classes, and coaches to help you with accomplishing your goals. All you have to do is ask for a little help. 

I challenge you to write a story. 

What did you write? How did it go? Is creative writing what you want to do, or are you more of an analytical writer? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.