Everything, everything you touch is everything.
These words can be found in the chorus of Alina Baraz’s song Tainted. Now, individuals listening to this song can interpret its lyrics in an array of ways, some may even choose to adhere to the song’s true meaning and or intent as the artist envisioned. However, while dancing barefoot in my living room while my little Yorkie watched in terror, the line “Everything, everything you touch is everything” resonated differently with me than it did last week during my morning commute.
It’s funny how songs can change alongside a person who changes, or as events within that person’s life transpires. Songs hold so much power in their pure essence of being, meaning one thing in August and another in September. Yet, this song has never changed for me before — so why now? Why does this line from the chorus resonate stronger with me now in this present moment?
Although the answer may never be apparent, I can only assume that those lyrics mean everything to me now because I am starting to realize that everything I touch is everything. Now, what does that mean?
A professor once said that we are never who we were yesterday. Our cells are forever changing, experiencing life and death all within the containment of our bodies. Even the act of breathing, something that we do so instinctively, changes us. For every place that we go we breathe in the air of that place, the people that are there, and the people that once were. I say all of this to say that nothing in life is simple, staring up into the sky seems simple — just stand in place and look up. Yet, the work and effort that one’s brain puts into looking is beyond miraculous — not to mention the strength that it takes just to stand and remain standing. Everything you touch is everything.
Lately, I have been contemplating taking a huge leap of faith and endeavoring on a project that is so outside of my comfort zone and most notably, challenging and frightening. Have you ever been afraid to step out of your comfort zone? Have you ever been afraid or hesitant to embrace the beloved words of Nike and “Just do it”?
Well, I am.
I am terrified to embark on this new project because I am terrified of failing.
I am afraid that if I take a leap of faith and trust in myself that what I create won’t be enough or it won’t be “everything”. Yet, that’s just it, after a moment of reflection I failed to realize that everything I touch is everything. So many times, I restrain myself because I fear the outcome and because of that, so many times I end up doing nothing when it comes to trying something new. And when I do that, I paralyze myself and stunt any chance of potential growth.
There are so many factors to consider when wanting to travel down an unknown path. There are so many choices and directions one can take, but the only way of knowing if something is going to be a true success is through trying. The act of trying within itself is successful. The act of trusting in yourself and choosing to look at the positive attributes that can surface because you tried, tremendously outweighs any deficits or shortfalls that may occur. I choose to embrace my new outlook on that one line from Alina Baraz’s Tainted, I choose to view everything I touch as everything. Everything encompasses a diverse collection of outcomes, possibilities, choices, and outlooks. And yes, some things I touch may not turn out as planned, be the best for me, or accomplish what I had in mind or what I wanted but that’s the thing: it’s some and not everything.