Ok - hopefully this doesn't come out too garbled because I listened to this yesterday when it hit my inbox, but haven't been able to come back to comment until now. Also, the heat just kicked up and now I have summertime brain.
ANYway ...
I mostly want to say that authenticity is a completely badass and intensely valuable superpower, as is the trust that you are able to build because of the way you wield that seemingly humble power. Also - being the person who holds back the ocean AND gets the correct size superhero suit on site in the nick of time ... that person may not always be front-and-center on the red carpet, but they are the universally acknowledged unsung hero. We all know they are the ones who truly hold everything together so the rest of us have half a chance at doing whatever it is that we do.
And another thing - just because you are an amazing behind-the-scenes person doesn't mean you aren't also a fabulously creative (and funny!) person in your own right. I love your writing. You always make me smile. You make me feel seen. And you give me hope. Your voice is the voice I want to hear when the chips are down but we all know we have to do the thing anyway.
Lastly, it may not be your thing (I have eclectic reading tastes ...), but your whole superhero metaphor made me think of this really fun series of books by Alexander C. Kane about a character named Andrea Vernon who works at the Corporation for Ultrahuman Protection. Bonus: the audio books are read by Bahni Turpin, one of my absolute favorite narrators.
Second, that I am a voice you want in your head at any time is incredibly gratifying but particularly when you have to do the thing. I just want everyone to know that there's no escape from doing the thing, but if you find yourself underwater, me and my GPS watch got you.
Third, thank you for validating the value of authenticity. It took me a long time to understand why I didn't want to be a CEO and to be proud of not only NOT wanting to do that but knowing why. Not that all CEO's are fake, just that they tend to not be in a position to be the hold back the water - order Amazon - say the thing kinda folk. I am, and I want to be, and I'm proud to be. I appreciate you seeing that as powerful.
Authenticity is boring? I don't think so. And you, Jess, are most certainly not boring! Authenticity makes everything else work...! There's more I could write, but quite honestly, there is not a thing I would add to @SuddenlyJamie's insightful and beautifully written comment below. Well done you two!
Agreed on Jamie's comment. I'll wait two days if that's what comes out! 😂 And boring in that its not flashy. I know that in many ways its what makes life work, certainly my life, but its never front and center, never the Instagrammable post, never the thing people want to rally behind. I've had to become okay with that, and to see the value in it.
Hi Jess, I love this essay and this quote: "Come knowing that whatever food you bring will be sufficient, and your children cannot jump on my couch but are otherwise welcome to stay as long as they (and you) would like." You sound like a wonderful hostess with a host of superpowers designed to help others.
My superpower is the ability to slow down time. Really. I work hard psychologically to enjoy life moment by moment and appreciate them boundlessly. Conversely, my Kryptonite is the expression "killing time."
Ok - hopefully this doesn't come out too garbled because I listened to this yesterday when it hit my inbox, but haven't been able to come back to comment until now. Also, the heat just kicked up and now I have summertime brain.
ANYway ...
I mostly want to say that authenticity is a completely badass and intensely valuable superpower, as is the trust that you are able to build because of the way you wield that seemingly humble power. Also - being the person who holds back the ocean AND gets the correct size superhero suit on site in the nick of time ... that person may not always be front-and-center on the red carpet, but they are the universally acknowledged unsung hero. We all know they are the ones who truly hold everything together so the rest of us have half a chance at doing whatever it is that we do.
And another thing - just because you are an amazing behind-the-scenes person doesn't mean you aren't also a fabulously creative (and funny!) person in your own right. I love your writing. You always make me smile. You make me feel seen. And you give me hope. Your voice is the voice I want to hear when the chips are down but we all know we have to do the thing anyway.
Lastly, it may not be your thing (I have eclectic reading tastes ...), but your whole superhero metaphor made me think of this really fun series of books by Alexander C. Kane about a character named Andrea Vernon who works at the Corporation for Ultrahuman Protection. Bonus: the audio books are read by Bahni Turpin, one of my absolute favorite narrators.
You can find him here: https://alexanderckane.com/
First, I love an audiobook recommendation!
Second, that I am a voice you want in your head at any time is incredibly gratifying but particularly when you have to do the thing. I just want everyone to know that there's no escape from doing the thing, but if you find yourself underwater, me and my GPS watch got you.
Third, thank you for validating the value of authenticity. It took me a long time to understand why I didn't want to be a CEO and to be proud of not only NOT wanting to do that but knowing why. Not that all CEO's are fake, just that they tend to not be in a position to be the hold back the water - order Amazon - say the thing kinda folk. I am, and I want to be, and I'm proud to be. I appreciate you seeing that as powerful.
Authenticity is boring? I don't think so. And you, Jess, are most certainly not boring! Authenticity makes everything else work...! There's more I could write, but quite honestly, there is not a thing I would add to @SuddenlyJamie's insightful and beautifully written comment below. Well done you two!
Agreed on Jamie's comment. I'll wait two days if that's what comes out! 😂 And boring in that its not flashy. I know that in many ways its what makes life work, certainly my life, but its never front and center, never the Instagrammable post, never the thing people want to rally behind. I've had to become okay with that, and to see the value in it.
Hi Jess, I love this essay and this quote: "Come knowing that whatever food you bring will be sufficient, and your children cannot jump on my couch but are otherwise welcome to stay as long as they (and you) would like." You sound like a wonderful hostess with a host of superpowers designed to help others.
My superpower is the ability to slow down time. Really. I work hard psychologically to enjoy life moment by moment and appreciate them boundlessly. Conversely, my Kryptonite is the expression "killing time."
What an excellent super power to have in a world where time is the one thing we can't get back, make better, or do over. I love it!
Thank you so much!