On Connection, Comparison, and Presence

Social media is a strange thing. We have a love/hate relationship, and I’ve felt that for a while. I want to use it to grow my community, but even with all the self-awareness I practice, I still catch myself comparing.

The thing is — comparison misses the point. There are so many badass women in this community doing meaningful, powerful things. And that’s worth celebrating. Their wins don’t take anything away from mine. So what if I’m not moving at the same pace? I’m not meant to. I’m on my own path, just as they are on theirs.

Lately I’ve been noticing some patterns I’ve picked up that don’t feel like mine — slipping into scarcity, measuring myself against others. And truthfully, that’s not who I am anymore. I’ve worked hard to shed those layers.

I’ve never been a competitive person. At my core, I believe everyone deserves to feel special, worthy, seen. And when I think about what allows people to actually feel that way, it always comes back to connection.

We talk about it so much it’s become a buzzword, but what does connection really mean? For me, connection is feeling safe, heard, and seen. It’s having your words received with curiosity, not judgment. It’s fairness, balance, presence. And that’s what I hope to bring into my life, my work, my teaching, even the smallest moments with strangers. Authentic, patient, kind connection. It costs nothing to slow down, to listen, to really be there.

Social media has both connected and disconnected us more than ever before. Maybe the real challenge isn’t the platform itself, but how we choose to show up inside it. Maybe the invitation is presence. To use it not as a place of comparison, but as a space to practice connection. To return, again and again, to ourselves, our community, and connection.