SOCIAL // The REEL and the REAL
/I have taken 1001 personality tests, gifting tests, HR tests and they pretty well all set sociability as my highest or strongest attribute as a person.
And I think it makes sense, I can’t really argue with it. I love people, I love connecting with people, being with people, doing life with people, learning from people, sharing with people, and it’s my greatest aspiration to inspire and encourage people to be exactly who they were created to be living out their full potential. That is what drives me and makes me most excited and happiest.
I genuinely believe that life is best when we are connected to other people, journeying alongside one another, SHARING in our experiences. It’s one of the reasons I actually ENJOY social media when I know it so often gets such a bad wrap.
There are a lot of people I want to keep up with that I can’t see everyday whether they’re in a different country or province, or sometimes our schedules don’t allow, but social media allows me to keep up with their lives, and SHARE in their experiences and in turn, share with them mine. (Caveat—social media should never act as your only point of connection or even the main point of connection with a friend, but I see it more as a cherry on top that allows you to share with others throughout your day-to-day comings and goings.)
I follow friends, family, and love seeing what everyone’s up too… I also love following people who inspire me, that are further ahead of me in life in perhaps their maturity, wisdom, abilities, experiences and I receive their posts as challenging and inspiring rather than being comparative and envious in a negative sense.
I love the verse in the Bible that says this…
Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:16
From my perspective, I want to use social media as an outlet where I can be open house with people and only HOPE that it may inspire others and connect me with others. But in saying that, I think that we must be real, vulnerable, and not only show the highlight REEL, but also be REAL.
When we only express and communicate the rainbows and sunshine it can actually make us inaccessible when the entire time our heart and motives were attempting to connect with people and BE accessible.
I’m a shameless sharer. It may look like I’m obsessed with self haha, but actually I simply love journeying with others in community. I love doing life with people around me.
But you see the thing is, I’m also an optimist. The world could be crashing down around me, and you’d talk to me and think I was on vacation in paradise. Sometimes this is a strength, and sometimes it’s the biggest weakness.
The balance of maintaining realism and vulnerability as well as joy and optimism is so important. The balance that recognizes that things aren't always perfect or easy, but also looks to maintain joy, positivity, and an unwavering gratefulness, appreciation and excitement that we are blessed with LIFE! (Is my optimism coming through? haha)
Maybe you follow me on social media and have recognized my new morning routine. Or maybe I’m being totally presumptuous thinking you’d even be interested. But getting up every morning at 5:00 am to read my Bible, pray, and hit the gym, isn’t always flowery… most mornings my first thought is: “It cannot be 5:00 am ALREADY I cannot get up yet, I won’t make it through the day without another hour of sleep…” But I get up. And actually enjoy it and my day is better for it.
You may see me laughing at work having fun with coworkers, braiding each other’s hair, (it’s important to have a joyful workplace culture where you can laugh a little okay...) but there are days when I’ve worked 15 hours and feel completely strung out! Maybe you think I am on consistent vacation travelling when 90% of my travelling is work related and takes me away from family and friends.
Maybe you recently saw that I moved and my house is SO cute and I love that it got set up pretty quickly. But you didn’t see that I was pretty sad during that time as well because my family lives in different parts of the country.
All that is to say, my life isn't always sunshine and roses, but I do love my life everyday even when there are difficulties, and make it the absolute best day I can... why? because I am so grateful and excited that we have been blessed with life-- and I believe we should live it to the fullest.
Overall, what I’m learning is this.
1) Living life in community and connection with others is AMAZING (the best way to life)
2) Living in community and connection SHOULD NOT be selective. When we are willing to journey through everything together, not leaving the sometimes difficult realities out, our connection with others, and with self, is much stronger and actually helps produce more joy, support, peace and perseverance.
3) I love you guys. Whoever is reading this. And it’s my heart to journey with you though life in some capacity, being real, honest, accessible, relatable, inspiring and connected.
Ash xoxo
