If we don’t share with other people the truth of our experience, how can we expect them to respond to us truthfully?

I’ve been sharing my life experiences on line now for about six years.

Many people say to me how courageous I am to do so—to write about what I write about and to be so transparent about my life.

It doesn’t feel courageous, it feels necessary.

If we don’t share with other people the truth of our experience, how can we learn from each other’s experience?

There is such power in realizing that we’re not alone, that other people feel the same way we do, that not everyone has it together all of the time, and that feeling emotional is part of being human.

Two months ago, I finally did something I’d been feeling called to do for sometime now—make a video blog. This did feel scary. Sharing my words on the paper is one thing—there’s a level of separation. My words are not me, and I can edit and shape those words to control the message I put out there.

Making a video blog is another thing. It’s me—all of me, just as I am. It means opening myself up to be seen, knowing that in the seeing, I will also be judged as this or that. But it also means I can test my ability to take none of the reactions and responses personally—either the positive ones or the negative ones. It means I can practice holding my center, and noticing what is triggered within me as other people respond. In essence, this video blog has become a practice.

I’ve even made a commitment out of it.

Every week, no matter how I am feeling or what is going on for me, I’m showing up on video. I record straight into my YouTube channel, in one take, just seeing what arises. The idea is to simply be present, to not control the result, to not try and make something that would be something.

I’ve stuck to that commitment. Although I have hedged myself somewhat by not putting the videos out there too widely… I haven’t even posted them properly on The Yoga Lunchbox yet.

However, after watching Ben Ralston’s video yesterday, I knew it was time to go public (and what  better place than elephant journal?). As a writer, I want people to see who I am so they can judge me. I want you to know me, in the fullest expression. Otherwise, how can we connect? How can you connect to what I’m writing and what I’m sharing?

Where this will lead, I don’t know.

But it feels important.

To just show up, every week, and be present with whatever is, as it is.

Enjoy,

KL

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Editor: Lynn Hasselberger