15th
Being Real
After meandering a bit yesterday about Being Nice, a (fairly) logical development from it what the idea of being real. In a way, being real is about being nice, yes, but more just you. And the reality that to be real, you won’t always be nice. Here’s some ways to keep yourself you, nice, and a human.
1. Be honest. Yeah, being honest can suck sometimes. It puts you in positions to make tough decisions, have difficult situations and, hopefully, take some responsibility upon yourself. Because to do this, you first need to be honest with yourself, about everything you did and didn’t do. Being honest is tough at first, it is. It’s easier to make something up to save yourself in a bad situation. But you’ll be better for it, and people respect it far more. Besides, lies will catch up to you, and fully run you over.
2. Be accountable. Like being honest, sometimes you’ll face tough spots being accountable. Something will go wrong, it always is. That’s just life. You’ll be involved, in some way. It might be your fault, it might not. The lesser person will find someone to throw under the bus. The stronger person will not only take responsibility, but for others too.
Admit to your mistakes, be an adult and take responsibility fo the occasional failure. Like that typo I just missed. Because its the people that take responsibility and learn from their missteps are the ones that ultimately succeed.
3. Be active. Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr. All awesome communications platforms. But, in a way, they’re flawed. The communication is informal communication — sure, you can talk to complete strangers, old friends across the world, and make new ones. Thing is we’re starting to miss the one to one level of communication, even in offices with email and IM. What’s amazing is, it’s easily addressable. Start in the office. Next time you start writing that IM or email to that person right down the hall, or on the same floor, go walk over to them. Talk to them about whatever it is. You can really easily be memorable in that way, and you’ll find the people you talk to will address your issue or idea with more interest than another email.
4. Be curious. Be a hunter, of culture. You don’t move ahead by standing still, so continually hunt and search for elements that inspire you. Music, art, literature, there’s plenty. If this sounds daunting, find one area, like finding a few new bands that you dig. Finding new elements to follow will help you solidify further who you are and what you like, and even expand upon it. Growing yourself, as a person, as an appreciator of culture, is definitely real.
