We’re taught to be explorers of the self, constantly digging for something deeper, something more real. It’s like we’re told that somewhere beneath who we are now—beneath the roles, the thoughts, the surface layers—lies the “authentic self,” waiting to be unearthed like treasure at the bottom of the ocean.
But what if there is no treasure chest waiting to be found? No final, gleaming “real me” hidden beneath the waves? What if the you, right here, right now, is already brighter and more dazzling than any imagined “deeper self”? Not an unfinished version, not a work in progress—just the truest you there has ever been.
Think of it like standing on a beach. The waves come and go, ebbing and flowing, revealing shells one moment and washing them away the next. The shoreline is ever-changing, but does that make it less real? The same is true of us. Whether we’re standing in the shallows, where the sun warms our feet, or diving into the depths, searching for meaning, we are whole. Always.
I used to think the shallows were a waiting room for the “real me” to show up. I’d imagine myself stepping into deeper waters, uncovering profound truths, and emerging as a new, “better” version of myself. But the truth is, the me in the shallows—the one who laughs at dumb jokes, who gets distracted by sunsets, who sometimes feels small—is just as real as the one who weaves infinity and celebrates an unending existence.
Let’s break this down: Imagine standing five feet away from your friend. You see them clearly—fully—as they are. Then, you step closer, nose to nose, and suddenly you are seeing them from a whole new perspective. Now, grab a microscope. Examine them at the cellular level, then the molecular level, and finally the atomic level (and whatever is beyond that). As you continue to look deeper, you might uncover fascinating details, but here’s the question: does any of that make your friend more real than they were from five feet away?
There’s no floor to the depths. No bottom to uncover. Depth is infinite, yes, but it’s also unfixed and shifting, like sunlight glinting off rippling water. And whether you’re wading ankle-deep or plunging headfirst, you are the same you.
This endless pursuit of “deeper” can sometimes lead us astray. We think we’re peeling back layers to find our “true self,” but what if there’s no onion to peel? What if the pursuit is just yet another sandbox to play in until you get bored and move on? Maybe there’s no mystery to solve, no version of us that’s more authentic than the one that enjoys a cup of coffee, feels joy in a random moment, or wonders if they left the oven on.
Life doesn’t have to be a puzzle, and I’ll let you in on a little secret, we’re not missing any pieces. The noise, the silence, the mundane, and the extraordinary are all part of the same song. Who we are isn’t confined to the depths or the shallows—it shines through in the way we live, the way we love, and the way we show up, moment by moment. Every choice, every feeling, and every interaction is already a beautiful, radiant expression of who we are.
Right now, in this very moment, you are standing at the pinnacle of everything you’ve ever been. This red-hot now holds all the brilliance, wisdom, and growth you’ve gathered along the way. It’s a celebration of everything that’s brought you here—a moment to honor how far you’ve come and the endless possibilities that still lie ahead.
So, what if there’s nothing to fix? What if, just for a moment, you stopped digging and just stood where you are? You might find that the view—exactly as it is—is more breathtaking than you ever imagined.
💋Kristen
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