The Power of Showing Up Even When You Don't Feel Like It
0Top o' the Mornin' to Ya!
TLDR: Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply show up - even when you don't have a plan, don't feel like it, or it seems inconvenient - because showing up for others builds the abundant community we all need to thrive.
This is one of those days where I didn't process a plan for the morning, so I just showed up. And sometimes that's exactly what it is - showing up when you may be challenged to, when you may not want to, when you may not have a strategy or plan. You just gotta show up.
What?
Last night, our senior daughter had her band banquet - they call it a "Band-quet" to celebrate the band students. There were tears and celebrations, and I realized how much the arts and music programs create these small communities of continuity that some kids experience over five to seven years with the same group of kids and same teacher.
Our younger kids were complaining: "I don't want to go. It's gonna be boring. It's kind of long. He gives out goofy awards and everyone gets an award." Honestly, I didn't really want to go either. It's not super exciting for me - I'm there for one child and maybe a few of her friends.
But we love Erin, and that's what we do. We show up. We choose to show up and be happy and celebrate with her and for her.
Another example: My son texted me a couple days ago asking for help transferring some gift money from grandpa. I was working and focused on building Kingdom Family Leader, not looking at my phone. So he showed up - drove eight miles to my office, knocked on the door, and asked for the help he needed.
Why?
That second example was huge because he's high-functioning autistic, and asking for help has been one of his biggest life challenges throughout school and everywhere. For him, showing up to ask for help was an even bigger victory than just showing up.
When you have a healthy, strong, and abundant community, something beautiful happens: when someone else has a win or huge victory, we can relish in it, live in it, love it, and enjoy it nearly as if we had the victory ourselves. That pushes a community - whether family or group - to higher levels.
Lesson
Showing up is celebrating for others. It's being present even when it's inconvenient or not particularly exciting for you personally. The scarcity mindset comes from not showing up fully and wholly for others in our community. Sometimes showing up is just getting things done.
When we consistently show up for others' moments - their band banquets, their celebrations, their needs for help - we build the kind of relationships where others will show up for us when we need it most.
Apply
Where are some places where you showed up that made a huge difference? Think about those moments when your presence mattered more than your enthusiasm or preparation.
More importantly, where do you need to show up that's going to make a big difference? What's the new place where you're going to show up, even if you don't feel like it?
Maybe it's a family event that seems boring but matters to someone you love. Maybe it's checking in on a friend who's been struggling. Maybe it's attending that meeting or gathering where your presence would encourage others.
The power isn't always in having the perfect plan or feeling motivated. Sometimes the power is simply in showing up.
You be blessed and keep showing up!
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#ShowingUp #CommunityBuilding #FamilyFirst #BeingPresent #ChristianLeadership