It's okay to be seen excited about something
I am unlearning how to tone myself down and learning how to be seen gushing
Life has been overwhelming lately. Between the state of the world, personal life concerns, and professional work overload, I haven’t had the mental capacity to stop and reflect. Instead, I have found an answer I gave in an interview from a couple of years ago that I want to share with you. It’s a topic I don’t think gets talked about enough, and it’s a lesson I am still unlearning.
You can read the full interview in CanvasRebel Magazine.
What's a lesson you had to unlearn and what's the backstory?
A lesson I had to unlearn (and still am learning) is that it's actually okay to be passionate and excited.
There have been several people at all stages of my life who made it feel unsafe to be seen as excited or "nerding out" about something I'm interested in. I was the quiet rule follower who no one ever had to worry about because I was going to follow the "smart" path in life. But, when no one asks about what you're interested in, you learn to never speak about it. And when someone does ask about what you're interested in but then cuts you off after the first sentence or two to talk about their own experience, you learn to minimize your response. You learn that they never actually were interested in knowing your heart. So you hide it.
At almost 30 years old, I am deeply unpracticed at gushing about the things I'm passionate about. But I have people in my life now who have shown me that they're genuinely interested in my full, unfiltered excitement. There are people who ask about me and then ask follow up questions. They must sometimes feel like they're working to pull the passion out of me in those conversations, but I'm learning how to let myself be seen as excited. They're showing me that it's safe to respond in full.
I'm unlearning how to tone myself down and learning how to be seen gushing. I've gotta tell you, it's been a beautiful and freeing lesson to unlearn.
This is still a lesson I am unlearning (or learning) at almost 32 years old. I am a little more practiced at gushing about my passions, but I am still uncomfortable doing so. However, the more opportunities my people give me to ramble, the more comfortable I get. I also notice the times I give others the space to go off about their interests and how happy it makes me to see them excited. That feeling is a great one, and I need to be better about allowing others to have that feeling for me too. I’m working on it.
Please, if you are ever in the position of asking someone about their interests, let them respond in full. Ask follow up questions. Approach with curiosity and intrigue. Truly get to know the people you’re around. You may be healing someone without knowing it. They may even return the favor so you can “nerd out” too.
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