My “word of the year” for 2024 is “together.” That probably seems like an obvious choice. After all, “Together, we got this” is the tagline for my business. But “together” is so much more than a tagline to me because genuine human connection is one of the things I value most.
I did not have a lot of close friends growing up. For most of my life, I never felt like I “fit in.” It was not until I was in my 40s that I started to find “my people.” It did not magically happen. I changed. I grew up.
I figured out that it is hard to find “your people” if: (1) you are not really looking for them; and (2) you always hide who you are and never let anyone see the real you. I learned that to build genuine, long-lasting connections, you need to be open to other people and their thoughts and willing to be open about yourself. You need to “risk” being authentic and vulnerable. As scary as it was, once I was just myself and let the rest of the world see me, it was amazing how many people I realized were “my people.”
This is why “Together, we got this” is not just a catchphrase for me. It is so much more than that. It is about showing up for the people I care about. On the good days. On the bad days. It is about sharing the joy, pain, and everything else in between. It is about never feeling alone or letting others feel alone. To paraphrase one of my favorite Oprah quotes, it is about being the person who is ready to hop on the bus when the limo breaks down.
Over the summer, I asked a new friend to provide me with a recommendation for a service provider. My friend hesitated about giving me one and ultimately admitted that it was because she worried that if I were not happy with her suggestion, it would negatively impact our relationship. My response to her was simple: “That won’t happen. When you are in my tribe, you are in. You are never going to be able to get rid of me!” And it is true with limited exceptions. (Warning: if you mess with my kids EVER or me/anyone else I love more than once, we are done.)
But being imperfect? Making a mistake? Not agreeing with me? Just being a flawed human and owning it? No issue. And why would it be? Our shared imperfections are what makes human connection meaningful in the first place. Our sense of humanity is the ultimate source of comfort and reassurance and makes us feel less alone in our own flaws and challenges.
The only thing that matters to me is showing up as your authentic and vulnerable self and accepting that I will do the same. I will always be there cheering you on – whether you see me or not. Once I love you, I love you. Sorry, but you are never getting rid of me! End of story.
Together, we got this.
