Becoming

Performance - the act of being who we are and at the same time being who we are not - as a way to becoming.
​(Fred Newman)

The art of becoming is not about who you are at the moment but what you can create. 

Recently, I conducted an interview with an older friend. We were discussing this idea of performance and how Fred Newman (a very well know psychologist and revolutionist) defined performance as the act of being who we are and at the same time being who we are not as a way to becoming. Rafael, the person that I Interviewed furthered Fred Newman's explanation by saying that the art of becoming is not about who you are at the moment but what you can create. His words caught my attention and I thought of how many people are imprisoned by schedules and habits that they forget to create or be who they are not (positively).

As a way to break out of my own schedule, last month, I did not write so much. I did so many things that were out of my comfort zone with the aim of performing and to improve my becoming. I distributed close to 100 flyers or more, I had more conversations with people, reduced my make up to only red lipstick except once (this felt so LIBERATING and I am sticking to it). I volunteered to work with new people, rewarded myself for completing tasks and wore outfits according to how I felt rather than how I thought people will perceive me.

While evaluating myself this month, I felt satisfied within myself because I did most of all the things that I thought I never had the confidence to do. I just feel so empowered and satisfied with my progress. I realized that the excuse of “I don’t have time” or “I can’t” is a lie that I have constantly told myself and I have broken in some way.
I challenge you to do something totally different from your schedule or habit this week. Next week, what I have chosen to do differently is to wear a pinback that says “Ask me about my feminist agenda.”

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