The Power of the Assist

MJ and Scottie.

Brady and Gronk.

Serena and Venus.

Because two is better than one. The assist matters. 

The W doesn’t happen alone.

My friends, we have all been given stewardship over somebody. Whether you’re MJ or Scottie or even Rodman in his eccentric, lime-green hair (which for the record, I thought the leopard print WAS A LOOK (come for me)).

You have a gift. You’ve been called to serve. As scary as it is or as awkward as it may be, it doesn’t matter. You have a calling. 

I spend a lot of time in contemplation. Like, every day, a lot. In typical millennial fashion, I wonder, what’s my purpose, what’s my gift, am I serving in the ways that He’s called me to?

Am I doing what’s true to me?

2021 marked ten years out of high school for me, which means I’ve been #adultingsohard long enough to have learned some stuff. After a deep dive into the past decade, this is what I found: I’m the assist. Between the career roles, leadership roles, management roles, dynamics of friendships and relationships…I’ve always led from within. As early as elementary school: inviting the new girl to play at recess; high school: moonwalking to “Play That Funky Music” to hype my teammates up before a game; college: road trips where my pals would so affectionately nickname me “Mama K.” I’ve always been the assist. And that’s a critical role. The assist matters. 

Those last two sentences aren’t easy to say when it’s in reference to myself. Because while I’m an avid hype woman for my counterparts, I’m not the kindest to myself. I’ve got this annoying disease called imposter syndrome that tells me I’m not qualified for my current career role: a (wildly underrepresented (I’m talking 1:52 underrepresented)) female territory manager. That I’m not qualified to write about authenticity because I’ve experienced my fair share of conformity. That I’m not qualified to start a movement that helps others discover their gifts.

But I call bullshit. I’ve got to. Because. the. assist. matters.

It’s ok to lead from within. It’s ok to love too hard and care too much and overanalyze every conversation you’ve ever had. (It’s ok to be Scottie Pippen because holy ****, he’s still one of the greatest of all time). But it’s not ok to let that paralyze you. To inhibit you from using the gifts that ONLY YOU have been given.

What a massively heartbreaking disservice to yourself, to others…to God, to hold those gifts hostage, all because you’re scared. 

My point is this: We cannot expect to serve others until we are aligned with ourselves. When we’ve done the hard work, the messy work, the work that is necessary to reveal who we are and what we’re here for. It’s in that contemplation time where we’re met with the pursuits that open us up to be of greater service in the world. 

I’m not Scottie. I’m not Gronk. I’m not even a clinical psychologist. 

But, I’m human. And apparently, I’ve been gifted with the ability to assist. An intuitive empath with a power that I once considered a curse. 

So here’s my promise to you: In the inherent messiness that is the human condition, I promise to be painfully vulnerable. I promise to lead the charge for creative living. To confront my own bullshit. To invite you to look within and to understand that it is safe, and it is necessary, to be intentionally you. To be the assist.

You are seen.

You are worthy.

You matter, always.