On Commitment

I’ve been thinking a lot about commitment lately. There are so many things I want to do – sometimes I don’t even know where to begin, or other times I don’t begin at all for fear that I might not finish or, worse, I might not do it perfectly.

I hear it again and again: just start right from where you are. Today I’m remembering to listen to my instincts and intuition which tell me to put some footwork into my dreams. That means I need to study, learn, meditate, reflect, write and practice. I haven’t written in quite some time I think because I’ve had a tough time figuring out where to start. It’s funny how having to think something all the way through before even starting can prevent you from taking action at all. Self-sabotage for me is the fear of not being perfect or not having something I’m super proud to share and broadcast to my network. Not everything has to be perfect. In fact, so many things worthy of sharing and discussing rarely are. It’s the imperfection in things that we relate to that creates community, encourages vulnerability and fosters strong connections. Perfection might be something to strive for, but I have to remember it’s not something I can actually ever attain.

I’m inspired by the recent news bites surrounding Essena O’Neill, the famous insta-model who recently caused a major uproar by posting honest, critical messages across her wildly popular Instagram account exposing the truth behind her modeling career. She, like so many others of late, is sharing honestly about the fallacy of social media and how much tireless work goes into creating a facade of effortlessness in beach-laden imagery and seemingly happy-go-lucky smiling photo spreads. I love everything she’s saying – and just as I was about to suggest you check out her feed, true to her announcement earlier this week, it looks like she’s officially taken it down. Her website, ingeniously titled “Let’s Be Game Changers” ignites a call to action for her fans and onlookers alike to share from the heart, be real, support ethical brands and causes and mostly, connect authentically.

In our hyper connected age of digital everything, it’s too easy to connect with one another at a second’s notice. But are we really connecting? Perhaps the contrary is true. Social media has made it all look like we’re uber-connected but really we’re overwhelmed by options for connecting and in the distraction of choosing the best way to get in touch, we’re excluded from real connection. We’re texting, Face-timing, liking, commenting, scrolling, quoting and tagging but are we really having genuine conversations? Are you asking your friends how they’re really feeling and being open to helping out those in need? Are people sharing on social media what’s really going on or simply putting their best face forward since that’s the image that looks like it will get the most validation? I’m totally a victim of this current paradigm, but I think it’s important to bring to light. After all, it’s what’s kept me from sharing lately even though I’ve felt a definitive pull towards writing and sharing.

Here’s where commitment comes into play. I’m committing to sharing honestly and being vulnerable as a way to inspire others to feel similarly comfortable with being themselves. I’m excited about the current discourse around connection, vulnerability and imperfection, especially the inspiring pieces from Elizabeth Gilbert (amazing podcast inspiration for her book “Big Magic”) and Brene Brown (if you haven’t watched her TED talk on vulnerability, hop to it). I’m thankful for all the people in my life and networks that are doing similar work encouraging people to connect authentically and demonstrating how doing so can be incredibly healing in so many ways. We have so much good work to do!