Selfies help us establish how we looked particular time in our lives.  Like statues, we say:  “Here’s how I looked”.  But selfies rarely say:  “This is where I was”.   Can you define yourself by a selfie?  Certainly a  ‘duckface’, or ‘kissie-face’, or a close up of “me-being-dangerous-adventurous-and-humorous”, doesn’t tell the whole story.

When we took our family adventure around the world, we hired a videographer to capture the experience, and by ‘experience’ I mean the moments nobody else might consider capturing.   We each had  cell phones (no service)  to capture moments, but rarely had the time or frankly the inclination to set up selfies.   Our trip’s intention was Adventure With Engagement and each photo was designed around environment or interaction.  That quest doesn’t make us special – but it takes a certain amount of bravery to face the camera in unbrushed grins with dumpling juice on our coats.  We came to learn, to meet others whose cultures and beliefs were different from ours.  And underneath all the differences, we found similarities of heart with these strangers.    You cannot capture that in a selfie!

Next time you take a photo of yourself, consider your circumstances – your surroundings, and those who share your space.  Grab a ‘selfie-stick’ and stand back.  Choose that awkward moment of engagement rather than the “I-look-pretty-great-in-this-one” shot.

Selfies are generally two-dimensional.  But you need to capture the moments that preceded or surrounded your inclination to channel your inner Zoolander!

If you don’t remember where you’ve been, how can you appreciate where you are going?

Celebrate your differences!  Tuesday,I’ll address ‘beliefs’.  Someone much more intelligent than I once pointed out:  “Your beliefs don’t make you a better person.  Your behavior does”.

Dawn