Your Human Side is Showing
We take great pride in showing a certain version of ourselves to the world. We polish our appearance and share perfection to the best of our ability. We perform for the world in the way expected. Good grief, it sounds so boring, it sounds partly robotic.
Human or Robot?
Our strive to show our best selves to those around us both in the physical and digital world has us also shaping ourselves, cultivating our brand. Though we forget that part of what makes us all unique is our human aspect. The ability to share who we are with others but also the showing of our cracks.
If perfection is what is supposed to be the everyday expectation, we would have robots and be robots. However, there is nothing duller than being like everyone else. Yes, at times there needs to be uniformity in what we do, but that uniformity does not mean we remove who we are from the equation. We may wear a uniform that identifies an aspect of who we are, which is great when needing to assist someone, you can be found, but what you then know and share is what leaves a lasting impression.
Recently, I went to the store looking to buy new sheets. A store member approached and asked what I was looking for. I told them and they came with me to exactly where I would find the item. However, they did not simply perform their duty and leave. They stayed and asked questions about what type of sheets, what color is my blanket, my walls, to ensure that not only did I get sheets based on size requirements, but color and material that I would like. This interaction was more meaningful to me than I had initially anticipated. The genuine interest in my needs and the willingness to share why they cared and ensuring my selection would make me happy was real. It did not feel stilted in any way.
We may have a slight accent when we speak, or there was a typo in my last email, tweet, post, etc., I made a mistake, my smile has a gap, all of these things are parts of our whole selves. It is these moments that showcase our personality in both realms that create a gravitational pull around us. Humans flourish around a community of like-minded individuals. Read that sentence again. Individuals. We are all different but have something in common that brings us together. That difference though is what makes us who we are. That difference allows us to share our perspectives.
Ice Cream Test
If I gathered a group of people together who all say they love ice cream, I create a space of like-minded individuals. What makes this space special is that not everyone likes the same flavors or brands, hell, someone might say they prefer frozen yogurt or sorbet. It is then the discussion we have about our favorite flavors or brands that leads us to learn more about each other, lively debates, and even getting to know each other and share our love. This group sounds way more interesting to me than a group who all are together and say their favorite ice cream is Dreyer’s Vanilla. To me, that is boring, for someone else, that might be their ultimate favorite, but that difference of opinion allows us to be who we are and find out more about the why we are that way.
My Favorite Phrase
I see a lot of people who have posted things online go back and either delete or edit them, which is completely acceptable. Though the reason they do that is their statement was not perfect, there was a typo, or what they shared got people rattled. It has gotten to a point that when someone sends a Tweet about their typo or that so many people liked something that was imperfect, I like to respond and simply state “Your human side is showing.” I hope it brings a smile to their face like it does mine. It reminds you that you are not a robot. You do not perform on command to perfection every single time. You are allowed to be whoever you want to be as you are.