The Closer I Am to Me, The Better I Can Celebrate We

From Beyond the Arc: Reflections on Resilience, Identity, & Life Podcast · 4:45

Show by Amy Gamble

This is perhaps more of a reflective piece of my writing. I hope you find one thing you can take away from it.I’ve been a competitor most of my life. But the highest level of my competitive spirit has not been directed outwardly, it’s been directed toward myself. Asking questions of myself, such as, how can I get better? How can I improve? What goals do I want to set? Can I allow myself to dream again?When you are trying to do your best in life, our culture rewards those who pursue excellence, sometimes. Other times, people quietly live their lives doing amazing things that never get anywhere near a spotlight.Maybe it’s the person who donates to a cause anonymously. Maybe it’s the person who is loved by friends and family. Maybe it’s the person who sits quietly in nature and enjoys every day to the fullest.Maybe that person is you. Comfortable in your own skin. Trudging along in life doing the best you can. Not competing with anyone other than yourself.When we learn to celebrate our own accomplishments, challenge our cynicism, and appreciate the gift of every day, it becomes much easier to lift others up. My success doesn’t diminish yours. My accomplishments, skills, or experiences aren’t a measuring stick for anyone else.If we learn how to allow others to help us, life gets much easier. I admit asking for help has never been one of my strengths. Because quite honestly, asking for help means we must be vulnerable. And vulnerability is uncomfortable.Looking in the mirror and giving ourselves an honest assessment of where we’ve traveled in life and where we’d still like to go gives us the freedom to move forward. With each step along the way, we encounter people walking their own paths. Each one has some kind of lesson to teach us.You don’t have to spend hours every day reflecting on your life, but I’ve noticed when I’ve taken time to really dig in deep, the rewards have been tremendous. The insights I’ve gained by looking at the light side of my life, as well as the dark side, have given me more strength than I could have gained by comparing my life to someone else’s.Comparison is the death of joy. It steals from us the very essence of who we are. It doesn’t matter what other people have or what they don’t. It only matters what we have and what we don’t. And I don’t mean material things. To me, material things are only as valuable as they are contributing to my safety, security, and overall well-being.I’ve lived enough life and had enough experiences to understand the bigger house, the numerous cars in the driveway, the toys we collect, may bring a moment of happiness, but enduring peace and happiness will never come from something outside ourselves.Enduring peace and happiness come from within. Can we find beauty in everyday things? Can we appreciate the little things in life that make big differences? Can we put aside our opinions and judgments and really see our fellow man as someone else walking their own journey?On this Sunday morning as the sun rises over the horizon, and the birds drop by my feeders, I’m reminded that life isn’t a race. It’s not intended to teach me how to beat anyone else. It’s intended for me to learn and grow and be exactly who I am meant to be.Nothing more. Nothing less.The question I ask myself is not whether I’ve got enough accomplishments to check off my list, but rather, how can I be in the world my most authentic self? And how can I walk freely and confidently without being tempted by comparison tropes?If I’m living my best life, I’m lifting myself up, but I’m also reaching outward and lifting others up too. I’m celebrating their gifts and talents and recognizing that I’m not competing with anyone. I’m just being me.The closer I am to me. The better I can celebrate we.Here’s to a beautiful day! Thank you for reading Beyond the Arc. If something I said resonated with you please feel free to share this post or encourage others to subscribe.Thanks for reading Beyond the Arc: Reflections on Resilience, Identity, & Life! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit byamygamble.substack.com

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