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We don’t have to know it all to make an impact.
We don’t have to have everything *just so* to put ourselves out there. We won’t make any impact, in our own life or anyone else’s, if we believe we need to know it all or wait until we have everything perfect before we start. That could be in the context of anything, but an example could be something like going for a promotion at work, or starting your own business, or maybe a new project you’ve been wanting to do for a while and have put off.
What is important is that we simply show up. That we show up for ourselves. That we don’t get stuck in the trap of perfection or get tangled up in our fear. That we let go of needing to have something tangible that signals to us - or that we have checked all the boxes - so we can say okay, now we can make an impact.
We make impact just by being. We don’t need letters behind our name or a degree in our hands, or a big transformation to prove ourselves worthy of making impact. Yes we might need some of those for a particular career specialization, but my point is that the impact doesn’t have to wait until you have that. The impact starts the moment you decide to show up.
It’s also important to remember that perfection isn’t possible. It’s not. Ever. Perfection is a myth. It’s the one thing we as a society have fervently sought after that is never ever achievable. We are imperfect beings by nature. Our imperfection is innate. And then we judge ourselves when that innateness is revealed.
And there will always be people who might know more than you about a particular topic, and there will be people who know less, but as we all live different experiences through our unique lenses, there will always be something to glean - for all - by just doing it and showing up.
We are making an impact just by showing up. We inspire that possibility in others when we do. We are an example that it is possible. That stepping into the unknown might be a little scary but we can do it anyway. And with each step, we get more and more comfortable with what once we feared.
Making mistakes or falling flat on our asses is part of the learning. Even when we make a mistake or fail at our first, second or multiple attempts at something, just that process alone holds so much wisdom for us to inch closer to whatever it is we are reaching for. That is impact.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Impact doesn’t have to look or feel one way. We might aim to make an impact in one way but make an impact in a way we hadn’t even considered. It is multidimensional, multi-faceted. It can be in the form of words, actions, visuals, sounds, or energetic - impact has so many different forms . I think we make more impact than we realize. Just being present can have impact.
On my last day at one of my previous jobs, someone said to me, “thank you for sharing your light with us.” It caught me totally off guard (and warmed my heart). This place was so dysfunctional and toxic and I wasn’t even there that long. Hearing those words made me realize it’s not just the obvious things we do in effort to make an impact, it’s also the things that are simply powered by the momentum of our actions and just showing up as ourselves.
This applies to anything, maybe some artistic inclinations you’ve been pushing off, or starting your own business - whatever it is you’ve been waiting to have it or the conditions “just right.”The fear will likely always be there when we are in a new space we have never been. We can feel it and do it anyway, knowing no matter what happens it is all part our of learning and is bringing us closer to our goal than if we hadn’t started at all.
much love + peace.