reframing excuses

I've been using the term "excuse" quite often lately, and much like many other areas of my life, I've spent some time unpacking what the word means, what connotations it has, and dissecting what it implies.

Through this process, I've attempted to divorce my fairly negative value assignment and instead focus on a new definition: reason.

An excuse to reach out
An excuse to write
An excuse to work with friends

These are all inherently positive goals, (or at least not negative), so I find myself justifying what I mean by excuse in this context.

Enter: reason

When framed as "a reason to reach out", the intention becomes more clear. Intentionality becomes the primary driver. It asks that we question our actions on the basis of what we are trying to accomplish, rather than simply performing tasks because we've been conditioned to do so.

In this way, I've come to appreciate vehicles that allow me to more easily fulfill the underlying needs, rather than creating habits for habit's sake.

I don't want more meetings with friends, I want more meaningful conversations with others. I don't want a larger platform or bigger audience, I want to facilitate dialogue around the things I care about most.

Excuses, just like any other word, don't have to be bad. In fact, they can and should be just another tool we use in this game called life.

I hope to continually challenge my own assumptions, always ask why, and never stop incorporating more intentionality into my life.

This writing challenge has been yet another in a series of excuses that push me to develop, grow, and evolve.