Anti-Social Media

Let 2019 be known as the year I started a business.

And let me say upfront, I probably have no business starting a business. I am not a business person. And since my “business” is really just me, I should probably just say that this is the year I became self-employed.

I’ll admit that I have no idea what I’m doing. But, you know what? That’s OK. I suspect that most people have no idea what they’re doing most of the time.

What I do know is why I’m doing this. And I think that might be the important part.

Set Sail

So I started this business thing and I decided to call it Rising Tide. A sort of homage to the Bay of Fundy, home to the highest tides in the world. The ebb and flow of the tides here is phenomenal and I want to evoke that powerful feeling.

I’m also trying to bring to mind the fairly well-known aphorism “a rising tide lifts all boats.” I love the succinct simplicity of this general truth and I think it resonates with people in this region.

The idea of the rising tide that lifts all boats is an economic one, popularized by JFK in the 60s, implying that an improvement in the economy will benefit all participants. It’s idealistic and simplistic and perhaps it doesn’t hold much water these days (pun intended), but I’m an idealist and I like simple, and I believe it can still be effective.

The internet presence of small business in the maritimes is pretty abysmal. A lot of businesses here don’t have a website. Many who do have one don’t know how to update it. I can help with this, I want to help with this, and that’s why I started Rising Tide.

Anchors Aweigh

But again, I’m not much of a business person. I just want to help. So I am going to try to do that this year, in my own way.

This is not one of those succeed or die situations. I’m very fortunate that at this stage of my life I have the freedom to try something new. This is an experiment. I want to find out if I can do this in a way that supports the life I want to live. I want to figure out a way to help others while staying true to my own values. I’m giving it a year to see how it goes.

I’m determined to work hard at this new venture, but I don’t want it to take over my life, so I still plan to be present here, creating and struggling and sharing the rest of my life. I have a website for my business, and this is not it. This is for everything else. But I felt like I should share this big project that I have been working on. It’s all related.

So, here’s to trying something new. I have so much to learn and that excites me. I know it’s going to be really difficult, but I’m hoping that the challenges are surmountable and lead to new and exciting things that I can’t even imagine right now.

Allons-y!

You* can’t play if you don’t show up. And you won’t get better if you don’t practice.

First: show up. Be there. Commit. I will show up every week. Make it a habit. Make it obvious. Make it easy.

Log in. Write a few words. Are they dumb? Who cares. You did it. You attended.

You can’t depend on inspiration. You can’t rely on your mood. These things don’t always show up. But you can.

Be dependable. Be reliable. Be accountable. To yourself.

You will feel better. You will get better. You will be better.

But don’t get ahead of yourself. Don’t expect to be better than you are and risk not showing up because you are afraid you’re not good enough.

You might not be good enough. That doesn’t matter.

What matters is showing up and trying to make/do/be good. That’s enough.

Show up. Work hard. Accept what you make and let it go.

Do it again next week. And the week after. Keep showing up. Keep doing it.

Keep playing.

*In case it isn’t obvious. You = Me

One of the main activities that users engage in on Facebook is wishing people on their friends’ list a “Happy Birthday.”

It’s often cited as an actual reason not to quit the beast. “But I wouldn’t know when my friends’ birthdays are.” That’s silly, right?

I know I’m not the only one who believes that the greatest trick Facebook ever pulled was convincing the world it was necessary.

Calendars: made for dates

I believe in using the best tool for the job, and a calendar is an excellent tool to remind us of important dates. It’s a fairly simple task to set up an annual calendar event on the date your friend or loved one came into existence. In fact, you can even import/export your contacts’ birthdays from Facebook. If you’re truly a person who cares about birthdays, this is a much more effective way to keep track.

There’s no need to login to FB every day just to make sure you don’t miss a birthday. Does it really matter if today is the day that woman you met at a conference 3 years ago turns 50? Do you really care if your boss from the summer job you had in high school is one year older today? And if you do care, isn’t there something better you can do to show it?

Facebook birthday wishes are lazy. They feel superficial. They’re too easy and too abundant and that makes them less valuable.

Birthdays without Facebook

But I’m over here, writing from the other side of the chasm. I just celebrated my second birthday post-Facebook and I did not get a lot of birthday wishes. That’s OK. I’m a grown-up (sort of). I didn’t expect them, I don’t need them and I’m not disappointed. I had a great birthday!

Do you know who wished me an unprompted “Happy Birthday?” Mostly people whose birthdays are in my calendar. I remember their birthday and they remember mine.

My alma mater put out a request for Alumni to handwrite some encouraging postcards that can then be given to students throughout the school year. This I can do. I don’t have money to donate, but words? I’ve got a few of those to spread around.

Of course, as with all advice given, this is mostly stuff that I would have liked to hear (maybe still want to hear)!

We are conditioned to seek out comfort, but that won’t get you anywhere in life. Push your boundaries, do something that’s out of your comfort zone, take small risks and try something that scares you. Be brave, be bold, be YOU.

One of the most important things you will learn at University is how to learn, and how you learn. Yes, it’s work, but it’s the best work you can get. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning, change and growth. Keep an open mind, be prepared to change it and your life will always be interesting.

Take care of yourself. Your body, mind and spirit! You need sleep, healthy food and plenty of water, sunshine, fresh air and exercise to achieve your potential. Yes, studying is important, but so is socialization. Try to find balance and enjoy the process.

I hope you know how special you are. Everyone is born with certain gifts and talents, and my wish is for you to discover yours and share them with the world. It’s not always easy to appreciate or recognize our inherent talents, especially when they’re not valued by those close to us. But if you can work with what you have instead of against it, you can have a huge impact.

When things feel difficult, close your eyes, take a deep breath and remember:
You are awesome.
You will get through this.
Then, take another deep breath. And another. Until you start to believe.
Smile secretly to yourself.
You got this. Now keep going!

Expand your horizons! Get to know people outside of your classes/department/faculty. You’ll likely spend most of your career surrounded by people with similar interests, so take advantage of the opportunity of being surrounded by people studying things you know nothing about. Ask them about their work. What are they are passionate about? Broaden your perception and get the most out of your community.

Find ways to be creative every day. Creativity does not belong to the arts. It’s a human thing. Science, Math, Engineering, Phys Ed, all fields require creative minds to solve problems, grow and improve. So make something. Imagine. Create.

Looking back, what did you need to hear when you were younger? Would you have listened?