On becoming a politician

I accidentally designed an election campaign.

I accidentally designed an election campaign.

About two weeks ago, if you’d asked me whether I’d ever stand for election, I’d have laughed.

Absolutely not.

I’m a creative. I run a gallery. I paint. I write. I avoid phone calls like they’re contagious. I’m the sort of person who needs to think before they speak, not stand up and debate in a room full of people.

Politics? Not a chance.

And yet… somehow I ended up designing an election campaign.

So… this all started because Stripe isn't available in the Isle of Man.

I got annoyed.

Not mildly annoyed. The sort of annoyed where you end up speaking to every man and his dog in government, submitting an FOI request and falling headfirst down a rabbit hole trying to understand why.

Then I got so annoyed with being annoyed that I thought…

"You know what? Maybe I should stop questioning from the sidelines and stand for election."

So naturally I spent the next week asking approximately 47,000 questions, researching what MHKs actually do, designing a full election campaign, writing a manifesto, running it past Robin (hubs), my mentor and a few friends… all of whom were annoyingly supportive.

Then I talked myself straight back out of it.

I'm a millennial, the thought of knocking on strangers' doors and answering unexpected phone calls, shudder.

Plus I love the life I've built away from meetings and emails and corporate jargon.

By this point I felt like I needed somewhere to write about the whole ridiculous journey because, if nothing else, I'd rediscovered how much I love writing.

After heavy research into a platform that would align with my chaotic niche of randomness, Substack looked to be the winner. Maybe I can monetise my nonsense.

Guess what Substack uses for paid subscriptions…

Stripe.

Honestly, if the universe isn't taking the mick, I don't know what is.

Who knew one unavailable payment provider could almost turn me into a politician?