In June, my sisters and I threw a 50th anniversary party for our aunt and uncle. Because our own parents never lived long enough to reach that milestone, it was a wonderful occasion to celebrate for everyone and have a great time. Seeing some of the photos after the party, one caught my eye—and it’s the inspiration for this column.
Owning the Enthusiasm
When I was the spokesperson and cheerleader for WTCA/SBCA Chapters for a dozen years, I know some people thought my enthusiasm was an act I put on for their benefit. Well, I have to tell y’all—it wasn’t then and it isn’t now. I am who I am—love it or hate it, that’s just reality. The candid photo from the party shows that I’m animated and enthusiastic in real life. I tell stories with gusto. And I’m not (overly) concerned with who might be watching or listening.
Being Honest About Yourself
I learned in third grade that when someone asks you a question which you’d rather not answer, it’s going to be a lot harder to keep up a lie than to just tell the truth. No, I hadn’t finished that assignment, and trying to say otherwise was only postponing the inevitable confession. I wasn’t a good liar then, and I’ve never spent time developing that skill in the years that followed. Nope, I’d much rather reply to questions with a forthright answer. And, honestly, saying what is really on your mind can shock people more than crafting an elaborate answer based on what they want to hear.
Building on Your Truth
Ironically, there will always be people who want to dissuade you from being yourself. You can call it bullying. You can call it disapproval. You can call it someone trying to bring you down, rain on your parade, or burst your balloon. But if you can remember who you are, why you think what you think, and why you feel how you feel—then you can wonder why they want to ruin your fun. Instead of doubting yourself, you can wonder why they want you to behave a different way—why or how they want to benefit at your expense.
No thanks, I’m going to continue to own my enthusiasm. I’m not going to make apologies for being excited, and passionate, and honest. And the next time someone tries to bring you down, remember that they have a reason for what they’re doing—and you don’t have to go along with them. We can all own our actions, whether or not we receive approval for them.