This week was particularly difficult because for several reasons; the first being that I had the week off from school and work and had amazing amounts of free time. The second being that for me, texting is a second form of breathing. I do it on instinct. I hear Taylor Swift on the radio, I text Kate Sugar. Have a good poop joke? Sending one over to Zach. You get the idea.
So when I forced myself to go an entire week without contacting people or initiating social activities, I found myself on more than one occasion starring sadly at my phone. Not necessarily because I was waiting for it to ring, but more so in a fight with my desire to send a damn text message. Needless to say the week did not go perfectly. Lindsey was in Boston and I decided that she would be the one person I could contact regularly regardless of my project. There were a few other mishaps along the way, but overall it went pretty well.
I think what I realized, though I feel like I already knew this, is that I initiate most things. Most conversations, most outings, most jokes. And I guess that, for the most part, I'm really okay with that. I'm happy to serve that roll and I've done so for as long as I can remember. Truthfully, this week came down to one of my favorite mottos, "you cant expect people to read your mind."
Forcing other people to initiate all forms of communication with you for a week isn't necessarily fair, but neither is the inverse: expecting people to communicate with you. Perhaps that person has no idea that you want to speak with them, or maybe they are actually living their own lives. The message I want to leave here today is that I believe effective and clear communication can be the most important and powerful thing in. the. world. Here are some helpful hints:
-If you have something to say, just say it.
-Don't play games
-Don't expect people to know how you're feeling or what you want from them
-Remind people that you're thinking of them or text/message/call them about random things or jokes... everyone appreciates the effort
-Remain independent without pushing the important people out of your life
-Love
Maybe this is cheesy... but I'm okay with it! Here's to a new week... :D
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