What’s the impact I desire to make in this world?

What’s the impact I desire to make?

I’ve had this question sitting in my planner for months. Something my coach asked me to answer in a past session. It’s such a big question that I’ve been putting it off to write in the “perfect” moment. To make sure I had enough time, I was in the right space – mentally & physically – and that I was feeling inspired.

I’m sure there have been many moments over these past few months where all of those things fell into place, in yet, still nothing was written. I’m putting too much pressure on myself to answer a question that is honestly meant for only me to read (clearly, I have a hard time keeping things to myself).  

Sometimes I listen to Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, and he said something in one episode that really stuck with me. He said whenever he has writer’s block but really needs to start, he gives himself full permission for the writing to be bad.

To me, this one, simple phrase allows all of the weight I’m baring on my shoulders – no matter the task – to lift instantly.

I give myself permission for it to be bad. I give myself permission to start and not finish. I give myself permission to fail.  

Yes, you read that correctly. I give myself permission to fail.

We put so much pressure on ourselves every single day to be perfect. To always say the right thing, do the right thing, be the right person. We feel like it’s our duty to stay in this tight glass box, caged into the beliefs that if we make one false move, everything will shatter.

If we don’t have the dream job.

If we don’t make the most money.  

If we don’t live in the best city.

If we haven’t found our partner yet.

Our society has created this idea that our life goal should be to work as much as possible and be as busy as possible because working more equals more money, more money equals more success, more success equals more love, and more love equals more happiness.  

And that might work for some people, but it doesn’t work for everyone; I know it doesn’t work for me.

I do not measure my success based on hours worked.

I measure success based on how much inspired energy I put out into the world; how many people I help along the way; and how courageously I go after my dreams and desires.

I do not place my happiness in the hands of how much money I make.

But in the beliefs that only I am responsible for my own happiness. That no one thing or person can make me happy. That true happiness comes from being proud of who you are and grateful for what you have in your life in every moment – no matter how much or how little. 

And I do not measure love by how many people I have in my life.

But by the quality of the relationships I have with those who matter most to me; those who accept, respect, and love me for exactly who I am.

So, what’s the impact I desire to make?

My mission is to help create a world where women feel empowered by their bodies – at every shape & size – instead of ashamed.

I want to show women that we are way more than our looks. In fact, I believe our looks are the least interesting thing about us.  

I want women to feel free to be who they are and to live in the body they have right now, instead of waiting for the body they hope to have in the future or reminiscing on the body they had in the past.  

I want diet culture to be something we look back on as a society and think, “I can’t believe we used to do that.”

I want our brain space to be freed up from the constant calorie counting, weighing, measuring, and self-loathing, so we have room for all of the ideas, creativity, drive, desires, self-acceptance and love we need.

I want women to know, and all people to know, that they are worthy of respect and dignity no matter what; simply because they are a human being.

I want my future daughter (if I should be so lucky) and any young girl to grow up with the mentality that her body is good no matter what and that her goodness as a person comes from being kind, generous, and sincere; not from her exterior shell.

I want weight-stigma and discrimination to be a thing of the past.  

I want people to be appreciated and respected for aging, and not shamed into paying to trick their body to turn back the clock.

Because what an incredible honor it is to age.

To know that you have lived this extraordinary life. That you have experienced so much more than those younger than you.

We should be grateful to age. We should be grateful for the privilege of life.

I understand that as you age your body changes, you slow down; things don’t work with the same oomph as they used to. But if you stayed 18 your entire life, you really wouldn’t experience much. Sure, you can run, jump, play, eat, sleep, and have endless energy, but think about all the things that you’ve done since. Have you gone to college? Have you traveled? Have you had a good career? Have you gotten married? Have you had children? Have you watched your children grow up to be amazing adults? Have you had grandchildren? Have you had birthday parties, vacations, weddings, graduations, etc.?

Are you grateful for those experiences, people, and places? 

I bet you are.

The impact I desire to make is simple. For people to accept and respect others; to replace judgement with compassion and curiosity; to fight for equality and social justice for all people; and for all to know that it is okay to truly be themselves – no matter the phase of life, background, or journey.

I can imagine people reading this saying, “dream on, sister.” And I get that. But everything that has ever been worth doing has started with someone saying, “you can’t” and that person replying with confidence, “yes, I can.”  

So, try and stop me. I dare you.

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