Sharing My Story

I spend a good portion of most of my days learning. Whether it's reading books, watching TED talks, watching documentaries, having deep conversations with people of all different backgrounds and belief systems, and also just exploring the world with my children and their interests.

Anyone who knows me knows that the title of my blog fits me well. I don't do very many things according to the status quo. I don't go against the grain because I'm a natural rebel (Although maybe I do get a kick out of it a little if I'm being perfectly honest). What really motivates me and drives me is the need to improve, to grow, to be better than I was yesterday. In order to do that I am always on the lookout for information that can help me do that.

Today I started my day off reading, then took a break to scroll Facebook and happened to come across an inspiring TED talk. As I was listening to this woman speak about her experience I was inspired by how she put her experience out there and shared it with the world. Then a thought from the current book I'm reading kept coming to me as well,

"Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action, and directed to a definite end." 

I knew I had to stop right then and there and share a bit of my own experiences.

I have put myself out there in the past and shared my knowledge, but looking back, it was misguided. I was sharing my knowledge with the idea that I had it "right" and that everyone needed to hear me in order to start living their lives "right". I had a parenting blog where I wrote about what I was learning as a parent and what was working for me. After some time it didn't feel good and I pulled back. I felt guilty about how judgemental I had become, so I let go of the website that I had created, got a job and forgot all about spreading the knowledge I had acquired.

My life is very different now. I pulled myself out of the echo chamber I had created for myself and made amazing friends with beautiful people who live their lives very different than me in many ways. I read books on Vulnerability and Empathy and learned that behind every human is a story, a life full of ups and downs and their own specific set of knowledge and skills and experiences. I learned that every human being on this planet has something valuable to share.

I also learned that my knowledge and my experience still had a place and a space to be heard. I learned that there isn't necessarily a "right" way to do things and that judging only separates and divides. And lately, I've been learning that its okay to stop hiding what I have to share. There are people out there than can benefit from my experience and my knowledge and all I have to do is share it with no expectations. Share it with no judgements on whether it resonates with someone or not.

There will always be critics, there will always be skeptics, but there will also be people open to hearing and learning from what you have to say. And what use is your knowledge and life experience if you don't share it? Pull the ego out of your message. It's okay if people reject it. It isn't a reflection on you, nor is it a reflection on them.

I am incredibly grateful to those who had courage enough to recognize they had something valuable and wrote a book, or an article, or started a podcast or made a video and shared it with the world. My life has forever been moved and changed by all of it.

If my story and my experiences move only one other person to change their life for the better than it was all worth it. I share my story because it is healing for me and usually it is still something I am learning. Talking about it helps me integrate it more fully. I love writing and haven't done it for a long time for fear of being judged and rejected. I guess I am starting to feel enough self love that if that is the case that's okay.

Namaste and blessings to you all on this beautiful Wednesday.