So, I began my journey some years ago and on my journey, I started noticing there was another Daphne floating around on the internet. Not just a Daphne, but another Daphne who also writes her own music, plays the guitar, and is also on a mission to help fight against addiction.
To top it off, she also reminds me of myself! Her last name is Willis and mine is Wallis and according to what I have read, we are close to the same height also. At the beginning, I was like, “Who the heck is this chick?” I would think she was sort of copying my content, but then again, why would she? Her content is great!
To help understand why I was feeling so awkward, here are some examples…
I was tagging the line, “Break The Stigma,” and using music as Advocacy and the next thing I know, here Daphne Willllllis… comes skipping along beside me … Baaareaking the Stigma too! Don’t get me wrong, if she is helping with raising awareness of the same, honestly that is a great thing, but I have Schizophrenia and this was really messing me for a minute.
Then, I get featured on the front page of a newspaper in Tennessee about promoting Recovery and the day before that happens, the reporter Brittany calls and lets me know she is finished and that same day, when I was online, an article popped up and low and behold if it wasn’t Daphne Willis being featured AND the reporter’s name was also Brittany!
Schizophrenia or not, this crap is super weird. Right? So as I continue on, I have had songs I was working on and then she would post something so similar to it that I started feeling discouraged. Even though this was true and I felt this way, I kept going.
Somehow, even though things she was doing wasn’t exactly the same, I felt because of our names being so close, I was just gonna get looked over and began to question,” What is the point ofn trying so hard to show the world who Daphne Wallis is?”
I started doing more work anyways. Even though I was trying to be heard and want to be known, I am not doing this primarily for that reason. I want to be successful so I can help people and have less stress about the things that have always been heavy for me.
Everything I am doing is to give people hope out there that may be struggling alone with Mental Illness or Addiction. Even though people have thought I was her at times and even though I see her work cross mine, we kind of are one of the same anyways. What we both do is important. I can tell she must have the means to make such great content and is able to go perform at events more than I am and that is not her fault.
She even seems to have her anxiety under control like I wish I had a long time ago. She is who she is and I am who I am. I am the Host of Resilient Radio Podcast. Music, Community, and Love. That is because I, Daphne D. Wallis, I am Resilient. I am able to withstand adversity. I have a life full of weird stuff happening. Honestly, this is one of the coolest odd things so far now I think about it.
So, if you notice someone else in life doing things similar as you, just remember…nobody else can do things exactly like you. You have a uniqueness about the way you are and your passion cannot be replicated. Be yourself! Your good efforts can make a positive difference for others.
So, with that being said, “It ain’t nothin’ but a piece of pie and there is more than enough for us all to get a taste.”
