What You Waiting For?

Fran Tic
Feb 16
3 min read

Updated: Mar 12

Who really cares because it's YOUR life.

Let’s flashback to 2004. Gwen Stefani stood at a career crossroads. After over a decade of success with her band No Doubt, she faced a decision that could redefine her legacy:

Should she step out on her own?

🎵 What an amazing time! What a family! How did the years go by? 🎵

Big decisions always feel tense. Kind of like that moment you lock eyes with the last slice of pizza at a party. Deep down, you know what you want, but somehow, it’s complicated.

Wait... The pizza’s almost gone?! We just got here!

A single slice survives. It's just sitting there, staring at Gwen—hot, tempting, waiting for her to make a move. Gwen wants it. Her band wants it. The saucy tension thickens, evolving into full-blown doughy distress.

What should Gwen do?!

Does she keep the last slice for herself (this slice is B-A-N-A-N-A-S) or leave it for someone else (Don’t Speak)? Unfortunately, most choices aren’t as cheesy as pizza or no pizza.

So why does that final slice feel so… final?

Is it because acquiring it means admitting she actually wants it? Or because the only other alternative is a show of selflessness? Maybe it’s because making a choice creates an illusion of prevailing permanence?

But babe, let’s not get dramatic—it’s just pizza.

🎵 A scary conversation, shut my eyes, can't find the brake. What if they say you’re a climber? 🎵

Let’s cut the carbs for a few. Turns out, Gwen had some doubts about her role in No Doubt. Because this wasn’t just about pizza. Choosing solo stardom meant risking everything—her sound, her image, her band’s future.

Why did Gwen make the choice to take a break from No Doubt? Did she see this as reinvention or a necessary betrayal? The world was watching. Was she about to redefine herself—or be called a sellout?

Turns out, this new venture only propelled her professional persona. Opening one door didn’t mean closing another—the risk was worth the reward. To this day, she stuns the world solo and still rocks out with the band!

🎵 Naturally, I’m worried if I do it alone. 🎵

Guess I’ve waited long enough to formally introduce myself. Like Gwen, I faced my own moment of decision—though my stage was a little less glamorous and a lot more personal.

Hi. I’m FranTic. A name that eloquently encapsulates this late-blooming millennial fairy who occasionally spirals out about pizza and life decisions.

For lil’ middle-school me, watching someone boldly pivot into a new version of themselves felt like a preview of something I hadn’t yet figured out about myself. Gwen didn’t just rebrand—she revealed. I admired her bravery—not in a punny way, but in a way that made me realize reinvention isn’t about becoming someone else; it’s about embracing who you’ve always been.

And that can be scary.

Before my own moment of bravery, I spent most of my life tuning out the muses—internal and external—because it felt safer than trusting them. No matter how many safe spaces I tried to cultivate, the part of me that wasn’t a lie always found a way to creep in, no matter how hard I pruned her.

And she deserved the last slice. So, I took it.

🎵 You never know, it could be great. Take a chance because you might grow! 🎵

Turns out, it was never about timing—it was about trust. Did you know there was another box of pizza in the kitchen this whole time? I’m so excited to eat it with you!

I’m no expert. I’m just a fairy with one hand in my pocket and the other giving a peace sign. But, I am happy to report that my personal ratio of gut instinct to positive life impact is sitting real cute at 1:1.

For years, I searched for safe spaces, only to realize they aren’t given—they’re made. And maybe, deep down, you’ve been building yours all along.

What does a safe space even feel like? I can’t answer that for you, but you already know.

And I know this: Sometimes, it’s better to be brave, say “fork it,” and trust the path your gut is leading you to.

So….