Every new person you meet is an opportunity to reinvent yourself. I’ve heard it said that you only get one chance for a first impression with someone. That being said, with social media, we get lots of chances to leave an impression on others each time we reach out into the world with a social media post. I often forget how much I share on social media. I forget that I have people hundreds of miles away following me, keeping tabs. I forget I have people 5 miles away keeping tabs on me. It’s easy to forget when people don’t interact on social media, when there’s no likes or comments to correlate that my posts are hitting home.
Until, you are sitting in a coffee shop and someone makes a comment about something you’ve posted. Or you run into someone at Kroger and they know all about what you’ve been up to and you haven’t seen them in months. It’s kind of bizarre. How people can seem connected, yet you are so disconnected.
In the last few months I’ve started a new job, and not long before that started attending a new church. Entering new environments like this leaves the door open for me to begin anew. If I didn’t like something about my story, I could rewrite it moving forward. I can change habits or behaviors that were not serving me anymore. I can change beliefs that were no longer fitting who I have become.
But there’s a trail I’ve left behind. People, places, social media posts. Abandoned, but not forgotten. I’ve moved on, but not completely. My story is always changing. Being rewritten every day, with each decision I make. Every action I make. Every post I make.
I want it to be the best portrayal of who I am, who I want to be, and I want it to align with my beliefs. For a long time my actions didn’t always match my words. I am no longer afraid to use my voice to stand up for important issues, to walk away from people or things that are causing me more harm than good, and always be supportive of those I love (no matter what).
May this year be about writing the best story of my life. One day at a time….
