The Humble Badass

“Stars don’t shine because they want to be seen. They shine because they are stars.”

– Alexander Den Heijer

Tell me your stories. Tell me the ones where you are the hero. Feel proud for what you have done to get where you are now, and share it with me. I don't care if you have climbed Everest, or have worked in a coffee shop your entire life. We all celebrate our own victories and battle our own dragons. Tell me yours. 

Today I was told that my stories seemed like a front. Like a mask. This person was tired of me being a 'hero' of my stories. As if he was waiting for me to tell him the stories of my defeat, without realizing there is defeat behind every inch of heroism he perceives. That the same stories he was tired of hearing were hiding my deepest wounds. And that I was sharing my wounds with him the whole time disguised with what I did to survive. 

We have to be our own biggest fans. It may come off as arrogant to some, but the people who have lived life and are satisfied with their own stories will understand. Stories are meant to be shared. Our stories are meant to be shared. I want to know how you fell, and what you did to rise back up. And if your story currently sits in one of the falls, then I'd like you to invite me in for tea, and tell me your despair. Tell me how epically sad you are and feel it all. Don't worry about fixing yourself. Because you will. I will. We will. 

And when we do, we need to find the people who listen. Who let us be our own heroes, and know how to be theirs. Who cheer us on as we continue to breathe wild air, and we learn and we learn and we learn. We stay humble when we learn where and when to share the stories. To share them for the sake of sharing and not to boost our pride or ego.

In honor of this insight, my next few blog posts will be some of the stories of my defeat that led to my hero. Because I truly think, when we allow ourselves to be as brave as we are (even if its just changing tires on a car) we allow other people to feel more badass about themselves. I don't share my stories for validation. I share them so that others will find the strength to share theirs, and cause it is fun to let people know where you have been. I throw a sincere F*** OFF to anyone who tells you that they don't believe your story. You are the most real thing I have ever seen. Let it shine a million times, and watch them fall as you rise into that hero of you.

Stay true. Stay Badass. Stay Humble.