"It's Embarrassing to be Yourself": @fearlessstories

FearlessFrom the editor of the online magazine, words of wisdom:

"Fear.less contributor and fellow writer Po Bronson blew my mind when he

spoke of the "fantasy bubble" in which we encase our dreams. We hide our

most sacred ideas and most comforting desires because it's easier to shelter

them on our shoulders as angels. To make them a reality, whether that means

opening a blank document or starting a conversation, is to make them vulnerable.

In our minds and when we are alone, our thoughts and fantasies are perfect,

whole and insulated. As soon as you take the first step to making them real,

they are just a fraction of themselves. It's disorienting, it's not quite like you

imagined, you're confused, you don't want to get caught, you shouldn't have

done it in the first place.

This is true of just about everyone, even if you're type of person who says

"I don't have guilty pleasures because there's nothing to feel guilty about" or

"I am comfortable with who I am". I started this by saying it's embarrassing to

be yourself, but it's not, really. What's truly embarrassing, and vulnerable, and

exposing, is to show yourself. To show your enthusiasm and your sensitivity. If

at your work, at your home or on your website, it serves you to be a 90% or

80% version of yourself, it's easy to keep doing that.

It's awkward to be the one who shows compassion to someone crying in the

hallway, even though it's probably worse to, you know, be the one crying.

It's humiliating to divulge that what inspires or validates you is unusual for your

age, gender or some other social norm, even if it really helps.

It's embarrassing to confess that your fears and insecurities just keep coming

back, even though it seems that way for most other people, too.

It's shameful to admit that you haven't taken any impressive steps toward what

you really want, even though no one can support you if they don't know, and even

though it might not even be true.

This doesn't always happen, and that's actually what's so bad about it. When we

win a few easy victories, we can trick ourselves into thinking "Woohoo, authentic

living! All eight cylinders ablaze!" Not to take anything away from small victories,

which should be celebrated. But getting comfortable with less than we can achieve

is less than we deserve. There is great satisfaction, fulfillment and power awaiting

us on the other side of honest self-expression and deliberate vulnerability and that

can be hard to keep in mind. What is your current level of sincerity doing for you?

What would happen if you dialed it up?

Also, "authenticity" is a dodgy word that messes people up. I'm not trying to accuse

anyone of being "phony" when I don't even know you personally. But I do want to see

what happens when people, including myself, don't dial themselves back as much

and surround themselves in support. Like Po Bronson says, "You need to be around

people who think it's okay."

I'm glad we could talk about this. Well, I'm off to play some video games marketed

toward children. It's where I get my best ideas."

Matt

http://fearlessstories.com/