The Art of Giving a Damn

Have you ever been so run down (emotionally, physically, mentally) that you didn’t want to keep showing up?  While I’m sharing a fall outfit today, I’m also talking about the art of giving a damn, why you should keep showing up and caring, and the importance of finding those things that you are genuinely excited about.

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The Art of Giving a Damn | Don’t Be Lukewarm

As I get older {getting older is a privilege btw}, it seems like becoming lukewarm about things is more normal.  As a child/teenager/super young adult, being ambitious and having big dreams is the norm.  As you creep further into adulthood, people seem to accept things that they may not be totally jazzed about.  “It’s what I’m supposed to do,” “it matches my five year plan,” “this is what people expect of me.”

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Don’t be lukewarm!  Don’t settle for something that’s not what you want, don’t feel pressured to take a conventional route because society says you should, don’t get caught up in what you think you should be doing.  Yes, there are things you will be lukewarm about.  {Paying my credit card bill, getting my oil changed, and grocery shopping because there’s nothing in the fridge immediately come to mind.}  But don’t let your life become this huge pot of not totally up to temperature commitments and activities.

The Art of Giving a Damn | Why You Should Keep That Red Hot Energy

Now that we’ve dug into why you shouldn’t be lukewarm, let’s talk about the elephant in the room.  What do you do when you’re around people that aren’t all in?  I’ll be honest; I’m a hypocrite but apathy frustrates me.  While there are things that I do find myself apathetic about {see, hypocrite!}, my activities of choice: volunteering, being engaged in my community, relationships, etc. are things that have red hot roots when it comes to my feelings on them.

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So often the feedback I get from my work in these circumstances is that I come across as a leader because of the passion I have.  If you’re surrounded by people that are lukewarm know that you refusing to meet them where they are will often force them to remember what brought them to this opportunity and view it as an opportunity instead of a responsibility.  Red hot energy is contagious.

The Art of Giving a Damn | Keep Showing Up

One of the most powerful and important things you can do for others is to continue to show up.  On the good days, on the bad days, on the days when you’re tired, on the days you dread the conversations…keep showing up.  Showing dedication and a willingness to keep on keeping on even when the going gets tough will tell people so much about you.  They will trust you, they will respect you, they will want to work with you, and if you’re lucky they may even grow to admire you and your work ethic.

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There are times to give up and recognize that something no longer serves you, but I think there’s times to buckle down and be the person you needed when you were going through a tough time.  {Younger Nicole, the woman I was, would have benefited in SO many ways from someone like me now.}  Ultimately, there’s a reason why we’re present at every event and occasion — even when we don’t fully understand it.  Being open minded and having an open heart allows us to grow a chance into a beautiful opportunity.

The Art of Giving a Damn | The Outfit

And now that I’ve penned a letter that’s as much to me as it is to you, let’s talk about clothes 🙂  Draper James reached out and asked if I would be willing to try out their new denim.  I’ve never bought a pair of pants from the brand so I was a little nervous but also excited to try them out.  The jeans have a decent amount of stretch without being too stretchy and hit mid waist — a nice in between if you’re like me and refuse to go back to the dark days of low rise.  {Anyone else strongly feel that they’re not going back to low rise jeans?!}

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I picked out a berry colored bell sleeve top that I knew I’d be able to wear throughout fall and even into the holiday season.  The solid color makes it a great everyday option and I love that it has bell sleeves to add a little more than a basic blouse.

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