How many people do you speak to in a year? And within those people, how often do we sit down and listen to another perspective different from our own? I realized we spend a lot of time thinking about how we want to look and sound in front of others, but rarely spend any time trying to see and hear others. How can we be truly seen and heard if we don't offer it first?
I truly believe we get what we give. Last year was a hot mess like it was for many of us, but the one constant thing I had was launching two interviews every week, for a solid 50 weeks. I dragged my mic all around Mexico, interviewing guys off the beach, in the mountains and over the worst wifi signals imaginable.
I risked my life for these interviews. Not only physically, because, you know, stranger danger, online and offline, but I risked my old life of whatever was familiar to me.
And in this risk I received 100 conversations that opened my mind, a safe space where I could explore the thoughts, feelings and lives of others, and I can happily say that I have never felt more connected.
Now, being connected doesn’t necessarily mean the rest of the world will be ready. But just because the world isn’t ready, doesn’t mean you have to compromise how you live in this life. I wanted a change in my own world, and that was enough.
This was my personal project to widen both my own perspective on gender, identity and self worth - with the purpose solely to ask more questions. And I think what kept this going was that there are no real answers. Just more thoughts, more experiences, more ways to look at the same thing.
After my 100th interview in November, it took me nearly 6 months to close this chapter and let it all go. What do I do from here? I couldn’t stand not knowing what was next. And then I realized, it's not what do I do from here, it’s how I will be from here onwards.
The Miss Amanda Chen Show Season 5 starts launches on Wednesday! Stay tuned for the next episode.
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