Chris Pearlberg

In entry two on Day 3 of the writing challenge, I thought I would provide a small disclaimer for those reading and wondering what my purpose is behind this.

All of these short entries are entirely my opinion and experiences- things that I see and think about, and in turn try to work through by articulating (well, writing) them down. I hope to create a discussion here on the blog, in person, or maybe simply in the thoughts of those reading this. I don’t expect to write in perfectly edited English, so please forgive the typos. I simply hope that my ideas and thoughts will be useful, whether that be  someone throwing them out as useless, ignoring them completely, considering them, or including them in their thought processes. Committing myself to this blog is an exercise in routine and self discipline. You may see my opinion change over the course of these 30 entries (gasp), which leads me to my next topic.

Part two of this blog is on the idea of being a “Work in Progress” (WiP). With the permanence of the internet, it is a tricky world is exist in right now as an individual who is a WiP. Things like social media allow us to share our lives instantly, but it is easy to forget that most people will only share the most positive experiences they have. It takes a certain bravery to admit insecurities and weaknesses on the internet, a place where anyone can access content you shared at any time. This constant bombardment of positive experiences and successes, whether it be winning the lottery or getting an ice cream cone, may make a viewer of the content think they have accomplished nothing and feel defeated. I am sure there are as many people who feel inspired by other’s posts, but in my personal experience, I have found myself caught up and wasting time on social media, worried about things that honestly have nothing to do with me!

So what is the balance? Something that I have found useful is knowing that everyone is a WiP. Though it may seem that some people have cut themselves off from growing and are happy the way they are, the world is still changing- meaning they must change to exist in the world. Because of the presentation style of social media and the internet, many have found refuge in defining themselves fundamentally (I am this, you are that, there is no middle ground); there is a comfort in having definitions for what you are and what you do, a pillar of consistency. However, this pillar may chain you down to it to the point of self detriment. If everyone is unique and different, how can the same prescription for life and prewritten identities work for every individual?

Have enough of yourself rooted in who you are and what you do, but enough of yourself open to change and growth, and you may find rewards in places you haven’t looked before.