Being Human

The challenges of being human … It would seem I never gave that particular point much thought all those years before. But then, maybe being human has somehow become more of a challenge with time and age.

Many of us carry a burden of perceived expectations: to have and follow a plan, career advancements, achieve success (at something, anything, everything!), and the ever-redefining sense of need to live up to others’ expectations. For some, the list is long. These often-self-imposed challenges then get added to our personal, sometimes private motivators: weight loss, recapturing elements of youth through more nimble bodies and minds, even the quest for social media validation. Our interactions with others and self-perception are frequently shaped — and distorted — by many things.

If I’m honest with myself, what often pushes me through the aches and pains of this human exercise is the desire to be liked, the hope that I’ll fit in, and the dream that my efforts will be recognized and appreciated. Each of these intangibles breathes life into the hope of being remembered and missed. But being remembered or missed is less likely to be a reality if we never occupy any space to vacate or we remain invisible to the needs of life.

So how do the day-to-day contributions of the average person rise to the level of making a difference, especially if we’re just being our everyday selves? For me, the notion of not trying is alien. Yet, this presents a more profound question: Why must we try? Shouldn’t being human feel more natural?

Which brings me back to my original thought: When and why did being human become so challenging? Looking back — in life, even these words — I now see I’ve lost touch with the simplicity of existence, allowing myself to be buried under the weight of expectations. Today’s exercise in life: embrace the authentic self, find contentment in simply being. There’s no need to strive for more.