Tim Ferriss was interviewing singer Amanda Parker, spouse of author Neil Gaiman, on his podcast and she mentioned something that happened to her that was very powerful. She was in a yoga class years back and the activity was to find a partner and stare into their eyes for a number of minutes. It was hard to do as it’s a very intimate interaction, especially with a stranger. But what she found most telling was that a number of people in the class broke down in tears and were unable to continue.
Because they were overcome with the idea of being seen. Maybe for the first time.
Often we go through life not being seen by our loved ones, our friends, our colleagues, our teachers, or our neighbours. We move through our days in a self-imposed bubble, our bodies the cage for our overactive minds. And we don’t engage.
We are comfortable wearing our masks because that is what society accepts. It’s too much trouble to go against the grain. To show our true colours and then be judged.
Amanda also spoke about criticism and how that is the definition of being in the arena. If people are cutting you up, at least you’re in the game and doing things. You are making waves. You are learning. You are letting people see the you inside.
In the end, isn’t that the goal of life? To be seen? To become and evolve? To find your gift and then give it away?
Allow yourself to be seen. It’s the only way to get a glimpse of the path you were meant to follow.