on removing the filter
In my journal I keep writing down the wrong year. In my head it doesn’t really feel like a new year, just a continuation of the last one. Everything just building on the foundations I began building for myself in 2020. I don’t feel the need to start anew this year, unlike I did at the beginning of last year. I just want to build, to grow. I want to commit to myself and honour my energy and time like I never have before. But this also means I risk going too deep, I risk forgetting about the world and people around me. And so I need to remind myself that I am not the centre of the universe, the world does not revolve around me. That no one else is like me and won’t always do things the way I would myself. Much of my revelations about life come from podcasts and today is no different. I was listening to an episode of Kara loewentheil’s unf*ck your brain about not being the reference point and it’s opened my eyes to a new way of seeing the world around me. My favourite kind of podcast.
reminding yourself that you are not the centre of the universe, that you are not the reference point of what’s right or wrong is more important than I had considered. I am not the benchmark upon which the actions of others should be measured. How I would approach something is not ‘the norm’, it is my way of doing things. Just because I would do something One way, does not mean another way is necessarily wrong, it’s just different. People come from different backgrounds, ways of thinking and filter the world around them differently because of this. The way they filter the world will not always align with how I do. The only thing any of us can do is determine in each situation whether this difference in approach or ways of dealing with things is too big to be compatible or not. You can’t force people to walk beside you on your path, follow your route. You have to be opeN to detours and navigating to meet in the middle. It takes practice and you won’t always get it right, the balance won’t always be equal between both parties and there is much to learn. But we should be open to learning how to look at those around is without the filter of us and how we think things should be done. We are all individuals. We are people who navigate through this journey of life in different ways, that are coming from different walks of life and are heading in different directions. Its how we navigate this difference that determines how long our paths are aligned. Its how we work to build paths together, as equals that determines how smooth and long the ride will last.
I’d honestly never thought about life this way before and encapsulates the kind of growth and learning I want to chase this year. This is a journey of discovery and challenges that I want to continue on for as long as I live. I want to expand my mind and my way of looking at the world each and every day. it’s what makes me feel as though I am aligned with my sense of purpose. It connects me to myself and the world around me, learning and unlearning all there is to know and all that should be let go of. I started this journey at the beginning of 2020, cheers to continuing along it for the rest of my life. I can’t wait to see where it takes me.
if you want to hear more about my journey towards a more authentic existence, follow me on instagram @the.authenticity.project and on medium . see my photography work on instagram @s.ophiea.lice and connect with me on linkedin.
big love to you all x