Is anyone else rethinking the language used in the wellness world lately? All the stuff we say to each other and ourselves to reinforce our failure(s)? Specifically, the challenge to define how we show up in the world? I’m hearing this everywhere. I had the misfortune of receiving it as a journal prompt over the weekend. What the hell? I’m calling bullshit on this, effective immediately.

How do I show up in the world? I was born here. By way of the human vagina. Vaginal sex between two people who were already here. Vaginal birth by a human female already here. Why are people pressuring me to show up? I’m here. I’ve been here. Where else would I be? Every day that I wake up here I show up here. So far I show up on Earth without fail 365. If we are here to ask and/or answer that question, didn’t we all show up?

I suppose the implication is that it’s not enough to just be here. Yeay, yet another thing I don’t do well enough to suit — exist. I suck at existing too? Well, of course I do. I should be existing differently or better, I surmise. Well, of course I should. And I obviously need someone to charge me money to learn how to fix it/me. Isn’t the question closer to How much money will you spend to question how badly you’re fucking this up too? How will your money show up in the world today? 

Our advanced species has decided something is wrong with every default setting we are afforded. Can’t settle for that. Gotta push, pick, reach, dig, grind, chase, and judge until our very existence isn’t good enough. We’ve already picked apart everything we do here. Now we have to question even being here and of course, decide we aren’t doing that well enough either. Appoint some experts. Write a curriculum. Book a venue.

Stop it. For real, just stop it. Showing up in a different way isn’t possible. I get one option, which is alive on Earth. Every day. This means I automatically get to opt out of the necessity to show up. I’m here for it all. Everything life on this planet includes; I’m here for it. I show up by virtue of my live birth on this planet. So do you. If you are reading this, you have nailed showing up. You continue to rock it. Put your money away.

Whose asshole idea was this? Show up in the world. How would I not show up? Where would I go if I decided not to show up today? Or tomorrow? How does not showing up in the world even work? Are people doing this? This is a thing?

Y’all know I am fully on board with being healthy, being well, and being whole but we are unnecessarily pressurizing our wellness with crap like this. Today I show up as an Earthling. Tomorrow, the same. Next day, same. And all the other defaults of my existence on this planet will still apply: human, female, sentient. I might be able to change what I do here but I can’t change whether or not I show up here. Even if I decided to die I’d still have to do it here. Born here, die here. Showing up isn’t negotiable.

If you mean to ask what I am doing with my life, then ask me that. Ask me to elaborate on that. Challenge me to define that. Judge me on that if you must but get off my ass about showing up. I am here. I am present. I am current. Whatever force directed my birth in this place relieved me of the chore of showing up here. It’s done. Call the roll. Here I am.

— Mercy