Showing up – what does it mean?

Showing up – what does it mean?

I decided this year was going to be about showing up.  To be honest I previously avoided this phrase, to me it meant putting on a song and dance whilst being everywhere at once all shiny and happy.  Of course, it doesn’t have to mean anything of the sort.   Life isn’t like that, there are rhythms and cycles with the result that our best intentions going AWOL at times. 

We’re more than halfway through the year! That’s if we go by the Gregorian calendar, so some of this showing up has happened, whilst other areas need a bit more attention!  What I’m not interested in is showing up in ways that many of us feel we have to, so we can be, do or have what we’re sold we ‘need’, regardless of how that affects our well-being and relationships, or whether we’re fitting into someone else’s misshapen box. 

We don’t know when our time is up, what I do know is what will have TRULY mattered and what didn’t, while social media can be wonderful for some, how many hours I clocked up on social media (or didn’t!) won’t be what I’m thinking about when life is precious and there isn’t much time left.  For someone else that might be different. 

Know thyself and stay true to your path 

However long that takes, how we stay true to our path is another matter – greed and manipulation aren’t going to feel good inside.  The path of kindness and integrity although more challenging in many ways will be worth it in those final moments.  To live at ease with ourselves, how we treated others, and the choices we made.  

Showing up for ourselves can mean saying ‘no’ more often, even to things we want to do and getting clearer on what is a ‘want’ and what is a ‘need’.  I usually find the needs are really acts of self-care and the wants can often subtly deplete those deeper needs.  Like the Rolling Stones said ‘you can’t always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes you might find, you get what you need.’ 

Showing up means many things to me.  I find it much easier to show up for others first, (Gretchen Ruben has a great 4 tendencies quiz about this – https://gretchenrubin.com/).  However, if I forget to show up for myself then I can’t really show up for everything else in a way that feels true.

So what does showing up mean for me?

Showing up and being present for you and whomever I come into contact with

Showing up for my art and expression

Showing up for my devotion to the sacred essence within us all

and committing to my own practice to honour this

Showing up for those who need a listening ear

Showing up for my health and well-being, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually

Showing up for my family and friends

Showing up with an open mind and generous heart

Showing up for justice and equality for all who are marginalised

Showing up day to day for what’s needed 

and having compassion when things don’t go to plan!

Showing up for those who have no voice at this time

Showing up at an empty page and seeing what fills it

Showing up for those who don’t have that privilege

Showing up and being present for those magical moments that are within each day if we stop, look, listen & feel

Showing up for my values and beliefs and staying open to hearing others

Showing up for my ancestors, guides, collaborators and mentors

Showing up with the qualities I want more of in the world; peace, playfulness, kindness, connection, generosity, acceptance, wisdom, collaboration, truth, creativity, innovation and love.

Showing up for this life again and again and again…

How can you show up for yourself more? I’d love to hear in the comments or by email.

If that includes yoga then pop along to a class wherever you are.  There are people to support you everywhere, sometimes we just need to show up and ask.