What are you hiding behind?

I get so inspired by my good friend, Kristin and her consistency on her blog. 

 I love writing on my blog!  I just have so many things going on that it is hard for me to sit in front of the computer and not  be editing photos from our last shoot, using social media to help build our doTERRA business, on Insagram with my next yoga series or on Facebook planning our next party of some sort.

Life is just busy and I don't think that will ever change.  

So you get to hear from me on nights like this where all of my photos are edited, doTERRA is not thought much about on Sundays, already posted my newest yoga pic and Facebook is just a tab away.

A little bit ago, Danny and I went to dinner for his brother's birthday.  Everything was normal until all of the lights in the whole restaurant suddenly went out completely.

  

The coolest things happened the second those lights unexpectedly turned off.

The server (who previously was very quiet and reserved) came completely out of her shell.  She started talking loudly, laughing with us and accepted a plate of cake we brought.

The other customers at surrounding tables began to do the same and eventually all of us were sharing this same cake, laughing together and coming up with creative ways to make lights with our phones.

Everyone there immediately came out of their shell as if all social norms turned off when the lights did.  That got me thinking.

We all act a certain way in front of others but when are we completely ourselves?  In other words, why aren't we completely ourselves in front of everyone else?  What are we all hiding behind?

In this case, it seemed that the lights themselves were that very thing everyone was hiding behind.  But why?

Why can't we share cake, laugh and discover our creativity with strangers in the light?  What is it that keeps us from being our true selves ALL the time?  What is "Social Norm" anyway?  Why do we feel like we have to act a certain way in certain situations?

In the mall, at the grocery store, at work, at school, with friends, everywhere.. we all act a certain way; usually the same "socially acceptable" way.  What would life be like if we all acted exactly the same way we act when we are completely and absolutely ourselves.  What if we all acted the same way we act when we are by ourselves or with our family?

I know for me, when I am with my family (especially my siblings), with my husband or by myself, I act completely different than when I am around anyone I don't know as well as my family.  I am even very different than when I am with friends.

I guess it is our comfort zone.. when we feel comfortable in it vs. when we don't.

Imagine for  a minute what life and the world would be like if we all acted original everywhere we went.  What if nobody cared what other people thought of them and we were all confident in who we are? I, personally, think it would so much more fun!!

A huge goal of mine, since that night when the lights went out, is to act completely myself in all situations, even in front of strangers.  It has been difficult because we have been trained, if you will, to act reserved.  

I want to shine through my shell. I want to show others who I really am and I want to be confident in that.  I want to make more friends because I step out of my comfort zone enough to actually get to know the person behind the counter.  I want to be the light in other's lives because I'm not afraid of being my complete self.

That's my goal, what is yours?  How can you be the change you wish to see in this world?