It almost feels like a competition sometimes; we justify our worth by the number of things on our “crazy busy” to-do lists. Paying close attention to how we describe our day matters. Gandhi said, “Your words become your actions, your actions become your habits.”
Next time someone asks me how I am, I am going to say “clear,” “hopeful”, “excited and overwhelmed.”
Whatever fits for you can significantly shift how you show up in the world and be fodder for meaningful conversations. It comes down to cultivating a compassionate inner dialogue and avoiding the negative shit-talking that often takes place inside our complicated little minds. Kinder, more encouraging words will only lead you closer to your best self. Like the saying goes, if you want to fly, you must give up what weighs you down. And sometimes my friends, it is our own bullshit, (and the belief that we’re not worth it), that keeps us down.
I wish people knew just how much they mattered to each other. About how many times just a smile, or a kind gesture, not only changed a life, but saved it. In your least special, or educated, or curated moments, you are woven into the memories that so many hold dear. Give yourself the goddamn grace you give others because we’re all headed to the same place, and it’s a short ride.
In this disconnected world, the answers to reconnection are not something new we have to learn. They are simply getting back to what we’ve always known when we slow down, drop our shoulders, and remember why we’re here.