No One Else Is Coming: Why I Stepped Into the Arena

Walking into my first public political event as a candidate, I'll admit I was nervous. This whole political world feels overwhelming at times, mostly because I put so much pressure on myself to know everything and prove—to the community and to myself—that I'm the right person for the job. Even though these events are typically social and non-threatening, I still had that nervous energy floating around.

Fortunately, those nerves calmed as soon as I started introducing myself and meeting other candidates and like-minded residents. I found myself surrounded by so many aspiring and amazing people who had all stepped up to run for office in November's elections across the county and state. Most notably, I was able to introduce myself to Congressman Pat Ryan just after getting out of my car, before even entering the event.

As someone still catching up and learning about issues from the local level all the way up, it can be hard to remember all the details. Fortunately, as our guest speaker, Congressman Ryan helped me learn more about his history and made very important points about exactly where we are today in America.

Then he said something that rang through me like the striking of a bell...

Speaking into the microphone, he asked each of us to look to our left, then to our right, and affirmed: "No one else is coming to help. It's only us here."

In that moment, I understood exactly what it meant to have stepped up and put my name in to represent my town and community. Sure, there could be somebody better, more educated, more experienced—but this has been an exercise in self-actualization for me. This is my time to ignore what I've been told for years by those who didn't dare greatly, who stare from the seat, criticizing, jeering and complaining about what is of isn't being done, what can or cannot be done, and most importantly, gaining confidence to send out these loud projections of their own lack of self worth from the comfort of anonymity gained only from hiding in the crowd.

I realized that my willingness to be vulnerable and put myself out for the world to judge is actually a strength. Not only do I get to prove to everyone my character and type of person I believe I am, but I get to prove it to myself through action. Each step moves me closer to creating the type of world I want to live in—one built on honesty, where we no longer ignore people who speak loudly but live in dissonance with their beliefs to hold on to their ego.

So I'll leave you with this question: What are you doing to help your community? And before you judge those who step up, ask yourself—are you willing to trade places and be a public representative for the beliefs you affirm are the truth?

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again... who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

―Teddy Roosevelt