When Lightening Strikes

Did you make a New Year's resolution? There are so many kinds to choose from. There's the health/weight loss goal. The make-a-list-and-check-them-off approach. There's always the resolution to do good and volunteer somewhere. And then there's the introspective, think long and hard about it, kind. I wish I could say I was all introspective when I chose that one word to dwell on for the year, keep at the front of my mind and make it a daily part of my life. I didn't though. It more or less hit me like the proverbial bolt of lightening. 

It happened during my last MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting. (I hope you've realized this isn't a Mommy Blog. But just in case you haven't, it's not.) One of the other women shared her story of how she has spent her life comparing herself to others and where that got her and how she keeps that in check. (I don't want to give it away just in case I can convince her to share her story here.) I've got to say, people. Her honesty and transparency was powerful. Not one of us moved while she was speaking. I'm not sure I was even breathing. After she shared, we watched a video from MOPS International. I don't remember the name of the author/blogger that was interviewed. (Total fail... I'll call my MOPS coordinator and find out.) She mentioned that same bit of "social media induced depression" we've heard about in the media and said that we become depressed because we are comparing ourselves and our lives to the things and people we see that are edited, staged, contrived and touched up. When she said instead of comparing ourselves to others we should connect with others, I had it. CONNECT. That's my word.

And, seriously, it was like everything fell into place. I went home and made an outline (um, haven't done that since high school) of who I wanted to connect with, how, when and what I was going to do to make sure I was connected in real life, not just virtual life. 

I need to connect with people... REAL, physical, right in front of me people. Not through social media (oh, the irony). But I knew I needed to start Unedited Life Project because this thing about what social media does to use needed to be dealt with, and I'm not one for letting things like that go.

When I told my husband about my lightening bolt experience and starting the blog and the crazy amount of people that joined @uneditedlifeproject on Instagram after @karlareed's moment of honesty, he asked, "What is it that makes us want transparency?" Being the philosophical genius that I am (yes, you should laugh at that), I told my husband, "Transparency, however small, creates connection. And connection paves the way for relationship. And we were made to be in relationship." (I was so surprised at my eloquence I even said, "Wow. I should probably go write that down.")

There it is. I plan to be intentional to connect with people this year. So, if you know me, look out, because I'm coming for you. And although it may not be your word for the year or on your list of resolutions for 2014, I hope you're willing to be even a little transparent in order to connect with those around you. From what I've seen so far on Instagram, through this blog and through my intentional connections in the past week, good and encouraging things come from doing just that.

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