An editorial perspective via Maxine
There's something beautiful about being in a room where people are genuinely connected.
The music, the conversations, the laughter, the energy. Watching strangers become familiar, witnessing someone experience an artist for the first time, or simply looking around and appreciating the beauty of what's happening around you.
There's an art to being present.
But there's another side to being in the room that we don't always talk about.
Belonging.
How many times have we walked into a room and immediately started measuring ourselves against everyone else?
Their accomplishments. Their connections. Their titles. Their resources.
Before we know it, we're so consumed by what we think we lack that we've completely overlooked the value of what we already possess.
Self doubt is the killer of confidence and creativity.
And if we're not careful, we'll spend so much time seeking validation from others that we forget to recognize ourselves.
I've experienced that. I've sat among professionals and questioned whether I belonged at the same table. Not because I didn't have anything valuable to contribute, but because what I brought to the table didn't always look like what everyone else had.
It took time to understand that I wasn't supposed to fit into someone else's mold.
And I'm still learning.
Sometimes recognition comes through opportunities, financial support, or people who genuinely appreciate your work. Those moments matter. They remind us that what we're doing has value.
But validation alone cannot do the work that has to happen within us.
We have to recognize our own worth, too.
And we have to stop allowing society to convince us that success has only one appearance, one path, or one definition.
Now, I don't believe every room is meant for everybody.
Some spaces simply aren't for you, and that's okay.
Not every invitation is an opportunity. Not every table deserves a seat from you. And not every environment will appreciate what you bring.
Sometimes finding where you belong means finding your community. Other times, it means having the courage to create a space of your own.
But wherever you find yourself, there's something to be said about showing up as yourself.
And making room for others to do the same.
Because being in the room isn't always about being the person everyone came to see.
Sometimes it's about being the person who listens. The person who celebrates someone else's success. The person who recognizes talent, encourages an idea, or makes somebody feel appreciated, respected, and valued.
There's beauty in that, too.
We all have something to contribute, even when we don't have everything we think we need.
And while we continue working toward the things we want, I hope we don't forget to appreciate what we already have.
The people. The gifts. The opportunities. The experiences. The ability to be present for something meaningful.
Maybe that's where the real art is.
Not in proving that we belong everywhere, but in recognizing where we belong and allowing ourselves to fully experience it.
To appreciate the room.
To contribute to the room.
And sometimes, to simply be in the room.
Because sometimes the most important thing you can bring into a room is the one thing nobody else can bring.
Yourself.
...via Maxine.