It all depends on how you want to tell the story. There are always multiple perspectives, multiple doorways into the tale.
I often play with my bio. With a website, Linkedin, Facebook, blog (to name a few) there are so many opportunities for tweaking it. But I also have the bio that plays in my mind in the worst of times when all of life seems dreary and its counter point that plays in the best of times when I feel like I’m on the top of the world.
Here are two versions:
Dramatic Bleakest Bio
Nancy M. Thurston stands on the battlefield being pummeled from all sides—her own self-critical inner voice, a culture gone awry and steeped in injustice, and judgment from many in the social change movement who continue to see her (white skinned and wealthy) as merely the “oppressor.” She wants to be understanding and responsible, always moving forward. In her zest for niceness, she doesn’t take notice and stop those moments when she or others are being disrespectful and caught in injustice and status quo inequities. She means well.
Exuberant Brightest Bio
Nancy M. Thurston walks right into the middle of the paradox of herself and the world and comes out the other side still standing—joyful and holding hands with a diverse community of people, trees, animals, stars and rocks. She is committed to noticing disrespect in her actions and in her interactions, knowing that it takes justice in EVERY moment to create a just world.
I know I am a mixed bag, just like all of you. But as I step into 2015 I want to soften the inner critical commentary about myself and play a bit more with the wild and bright parts.
How about you?
What “bios” are written on the walls of your brain? Which ones do you want to wash away in the new year?
Thank you so much for reading. You might notice that I don’t have a space for comments, but I’d love to have conversation about what’s written here. If you’re so inspired, feel free to email me via the email address on the bottom of each page of my website.