Just Show Up

Ever wonder if you’re in the right career? 

Ever have angst about whether you are doing the right thing? 

Ever ponder if you are fulfilling your life purpose as well as you could be? 

A dear friend of mine who is now in her early 80s was recently pondering how she might have the greatest impact. 

She lost her husband about a year ago. 

Since then, life feels shorter. 

Her sense of urgency around making a meaningful contribution is heightened. She asked our group of friends, “What else might I be doing to be my most glorious self”? 

It was a beautiful and profound question. 

(One that many of us should be asking on a regular basis.)

I love the quote by C.S. Lewis, theologian and author of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

You are never too old!

Never too tired.

Never too wrinkly.

Dreams are bigger than we are: They have energy. Focus. Purpose. 

If you have a meaningful and powerful dream that resonates with your soul, it actually can breathe life into you.

I pointed out to this friend, too, that even though it may seem that life is shorter than ever after losing her husband, none of us have any idea how much time we have. 

“I'm a few decades younger than you,” I said to this friend, “But I could have two years left and you have twenty!” 

Our group of wise women had one other piece of advice for her. 

“Every day, wake up in the morning, and ask yourself, ‘Where do I need to show up today’?”

That was it. 

Show up. 

Where and how might I show up today? 

And just go do it. Be present with wherever that is, bringing your most magnificent self to that table. 

This friend already does amazing work with high-school students in the community where she lives. They are working to connect young people to help prevent loneliness and educate young people about suicide in their community. She loves communicating with and just hanging out with these kids. 

A life’s mission doesn’t get better than that.

How do you show up every day? 

What might be different if you asked yourself, “Where I might show up more fully today”? 

Are there places and spaces in your life where you are half-checked out? 

Are there places you long to be that you just aren't there yet?

And what might be different if you showed up completely there? 

It’s easy these days to move through our life and work a mere shadow of ourselves. 

Only half present. 

Minds elsewhere. 

Or not fully embracing who we really are.

And showing up doesn't have to be some big, magical project or effort.

It can be something quiet and small.

I recently came across a definition of integrity that I loved. Integrity is not just about living according to your values and principles and doing the right thing when no one is watching.

It is about an energetic wholeness. Integrity is having an uninterrupted flow of aliveness or wholeness inside yourself.

Prominent African American theologian and philosopher Howard Thurman said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” 

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