I want to discuss the necessity and importance of accepting differences and embracing diversity in the homesteading community.
Since the beginning of my sharing on social media, I’ve done my best to show up authentically. Whether in my YouTube videos, in person, or on my social media platforms, I wanted to be genuine and honest.
Since 2020, with the growth of the Roots and Refuge platform, I found myself deciding not to share certain aspects of my life for fear of causing discord. I’ve been struggling with this because I don’t want to censor my life to please other people.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve never shown up on video and lied about a situation, but I may censor it and only show you 85% of something. But this doesn’t sit well with me. If I’m not showing up 100%, then you’re not receiving my authentic self.
I feel very blessed that the majority of our audience is genuine, kind, and so loving. And because I’ve only been showing up at 85%, it’s been nagging at me. You deserve 100% of my authentic self.
I want to love people because I love people. If I need everybody to be like me, then I don’t love people. I love me. There’s no reason for me to censor myself.
I’ve shared before that I’ve dealt with fear and anxiety for much of my life. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that fear pushes you, and wisdom leads you. Whenever you’re feeling shoved or pushed in any situation, take a breath and slow down.
So this is me, taking a breath, reevaluating what it is I’m doing and how I’m showing up. There may be some things I still can’t share in its entirety at risk of being de-monetized on YouTube, but I don’t want to hide at risk of having a few “haters” in the comments section.
It’s OK for us not to all agree. In fact, I think it’s healthy.
All that being said, have a listen to today’s podcast, then watch the video I published on YouTube discussing some similar topics. And as always, I bless you, until next time.
