Don't perform. Just live, be. Connect and listen to people. Too often we find ourselves talking about our lives to others. Worse yet, some moment in time, long ago, that we still consider the "good ol' days. Like the 40-something year old man that still talks about his high school football years. Instead, we should listen to others and their lives. To hear about their experiences and in doing so, creating a connection. What I've drawn from connecting with others is how easily we complain, then you learn on how someone has it worse. You gain perspective and gratitude.
But instead of connection we talk about our weekend plans. Our summer trip. Our crazy schedules and lives. As if that is something to be proud of. Being so wrapped into that, we miss so much of what is in front of us. And the people around us. I call this the "performance. When our focus is to share and talk about ourselves, neglecting what truly matters in an exchange; connection.
How much of this performance is real? How often do you find yourself performing for others? Because you want to fit in. Or how much added work is coming your way from the promotion and you don't even like what you do, yet, the promotion and pay pump is sure taking a lot of time to talk about... the performance.
We create these stories. Be it living in some golden age or in the fantasy of today and ignore the present reality. This moment is just running past us. Maybe the internal need to perform is why things aren't going the way you want. Or instead of performing for others, you start to do it for yourself - in the areas of life that matter. As we wrote about March 17, prioritizing what matters to you. Keeping up with the Jones's is what some might call it. Is that what we are here for?
We're rewarded on the internet with our performance. It feels good to share the new (INSERT ITEM HERE) but not how much it costs.
Are we using our actions to do and be good?
Its like the star athlete who is a jerk. Or is jerk. Or is selfish and does nothing for others. Is this star actually a star? You're the star on your team, but what about your community?
The performance is great when others are watching. What happens when no one actually cares? HINT: no one does.
Stop performing. Just live, be. Connect with others and just do what only you can do. For yourself and others.