Something happened in my life recently that left me looking at someone very differently. And it got me thinking about the people we say we are.
Because we've gotten really damn good at branding ourselves with,
Peace.
Healing.
Kindness.
Honesty.
Faith.
Growth.
Good vibes.
Living authentically.
We post the quotes. We share the memes. We talk about protecting our peace and doing the work and becoming better humans.
And maybe we mean every damn word of it and maybe some people don’t.
But I've started wondering...
Who are we when nobody's watching?
Who are we when we're angry?
Who are we when we're hurt?
Who are we when somebody tells us no?
Who are we when we don't get what we want?
Who are we when there isn't an audience around to applaud the version of ourselves we've worked so hard to present?
Because I'm starting to think that's where our character actually lives.
And before I climb too far up on my high horse, I have to ask myself the same questions.
Does the person I say I am match the person my kids know?
My friends?
The people I've loved?
The people I love no more?
The people I've been angry with?
Because it's pretty easy to be peaceful when nobody is pissing you off.
It's easy to preach kindness when you're being treated kindly.
It's easy to talk about honesty when the truth doesn't cost you anything.
Maybe our values aren't really our values until they're inconvenient.
I know who I've worked so hard to become. I'm not perfect, and I'm sure as hell not going to get it right every time.
But I will always try to be the same person when no one is watching that I say I am when everyone is.
Apparently, This Is Growth.
