The Art of Showing Up
As we’re rounding out Women’s History Month, the next in our #bookvibes series features author Rachel Wilkerson Miller and her book “The Art of Showing Up: How to Be There For Yourself and Your People.” In a time when it seems relationships have become even more challenging to manage among daily stress and life overall, this book is a fun and great guide that proves it’s nearly impossible to show up for anyone else without showing up for yourself first.
According to Rachel, we must first take a deep dive and get to know ourselves to truly be a better friend. The book is divided into two parts, with the first part dedicated to understanding yourself and the second dedicated to showing up for others. By examining what we value, like/don’t like, are willing to do/not do, etc, we can discover who we truly are at our core and establish appropriate priorities and boundaries to serve as a guide for how we choose to live life. The discovery process itself may be uncomfortable as we all go through life believing one story or another about ourselves, and stopping to ask whether it’s true or not can be difficult. But there is an enlightenment as we “rediscover” ourselves and fully accept this person.
Once we have established how to show up for ourselves, we can focus on being there for others. This is a lifelong process not a one time thing, according to Miller. Expressing genuine interest, heartfelt “I’m Sorries” during times of grief, supporting friends through their wins and simply keeping in touch are among the ways to cultivate meaningful relationships. The book breaks out in great detail how to approach specific and very different scenarios, even the dreaded “friend breakup”, and simply how to be more aware and better at reading people and situations.
The key to showing up is to understand that it is something intentional, something that takes effort and practice. It is not easy and does not just happen naturally. This book offers a set of principles to serve as a guide to treat yourself and others with compassion and love. Human connection is so important in everyday life and helps maintain a healthy state of mental well-being. We are loving Rachel’s modern take to achieving meaningful relationships and making the act of loving ourselves a priority. Check it out and make sure you #showup Every.Single.Day!
xo,
VOOVIBE