Greater Connection During Isolation
Exploring within.
Hopefully, my story encourages you to get curious and explore, to navigate the potential you hold within.
Since quarantine started, people have been longing for real human connection, beyond the light of a screen. Yet, video calls can be powerful. They have actually changed my life. In the path to discovering myself, it has been through these calls that I was able to craft my own voice and get comfortable in my own skin.
Before, more often than not, when I approached people I wanted to speak, share, and engage, a little voice within stopped me. Fear, dread, worry and doubt kept me from engaging with the people I wanted to be seen by. Why can’t I connect? What is the missing link? As usual, I sought books, articles, podcasts and even courses that would provide the knowledge to fill that void.
The world knew better.
That missing link wasn’t in some speech. I didn’t know at the time but I was searching for the authentic me, the real me, the identity I had lost while trying to fit in; while trying to be seen and meet the expectations I thought others had of me. Striving to be part of a specific group, I guess I forgot who I really am and how I want to show up.
Lately, the Universe has placed people on my path who; scattered around the world from Boston to Sydney from London to Montreal, have led to raw, inspiring conversations. Honestly some of the best people I am so grateful to have met. Connecting so truthfully and quickly, without notice, the right people had shown up in my life at precisely the right time.
Talking with complete strangers allowed me to navigate my own voice. The instant I get in a video call all my previous experiences, background, fears, worries, limiting beliefs, even achievements, goals and dreams dissolve. All the previous attempts to be someone else disappear. This person has no idea about them. This person knows nothing about me. Hence, I will show up as truthful as I can be.
Every single call gives you a choice. How will you show up? Who will you be? How do you choose your story to be told? That is the moment when the real you, the one you drew in your journal, the you who dreams the impossible, the you who cares, loves, and explores has a space to come through. Getting a clearer idea about who I am in every call, I started discovering my truest essence. I found that my truest self is indeed my best, most giving and driven self.
Ranging from Spirituality to our purpose in life, from challenges to poetry, from psychology to nutrition, from our achievements to current struggles, and from laughter to insight, I have never had such raw, inspiring conversations. I have become better at asking questions, at sharing open-heartedly, at listening to other peoples stories, at letting go of other’s expectations and being more comfortable in the uncertainty of a new video call. As energy and chills flow through me during these, I can’t wait to take this real me to all interactions on and off video calls, to meet my old friends with a new but friendly face.
It certainly is a journey, I am still finding my essence, this piece is part of that journey. Preparing by doing the extensive research, seeing countless examples and the advice has been the way to approach challenges. Even the advice of perspective I used to give always came from an outside source. Always consuming knowledge rather than creating from my soul.
Why do I seek outside to find a roadmap to go within?
With this, I want to encourage you (and myself) to take the leap into that place where you might not know all the answers. But when you feel the excitement, the chills flowing through your voice, that is the feeling you want to hold on to. Let go of saying the right thing and be curious where the conversations might go. By trusting who you are and exploring your thoughts you can see your potential grow, and a whole world of possibilities created as you allow others to also dare to find the answers in themselves. You might create a new idea, a new friendship, or even discover a new skill you didn’t know you hold.
Marissa, Josh, Andrew, Jamie, Andrea, Laura, Jules, Maya, JP, James, Kaimana, and many others thank you for allowing me to explore myself and change the way I see the world.
