Sometimes you don’t see the lessons and gifts you are given until it’s too late to say thank you. That’s the case with me about the lessons on living my parents gave me.
My parents were active people and my mom was a fireball. They were involved in so many different activities and services. They took dance lessons, played bridge, water skied; Dad golfed, and Mom played tennis.
I’ve long marveled at the people who look as if they can work effortlessly for others. How do they do that? Why do I struggle with that? I see myself as a team player, an element that seems it would be a desirable trait for an employer. I love helping people make projects come to fruition. I work hard, am loyal and dedicated, and I’m reliable. So, why am I not one of those people who works effortlessly for others?
I recently wrote an article called Decide to Change, Your Future Depends on It. As a coach, I’m frequently asked, “But how do I make this change that we’re talking about?” And I eventually got to the point that I said, “Decide. Draw a line in the sand, step over it. Don’t look back. Continue forward with the new change, the decision that you just made.” It’s for your good. You want to accomplish specific things in your life, certain things, and until you change what’s holding you back, you can’t get there. And, you know, it’s easy to say. It’s not simple to do. It really takes dedication and being in charge of your mind.
Avoiding change is a common human trait. Common in that most people don’t like it, so they avoid it. But, what if the change is good for you? Intellectually you know you need to change something — your diet, sleep patterns, your dental hygiene, or a password — but you avoid it anyway. What’s up with that?
I recently wrote an article about euphemisms and how they confuse conversation. I initially heard the concept when Simon Sinek and Brené Brown were talking. I loved the concept and was inspired to write an article about it. And that’s where I stopped. I didn’t know what kind of video to create to follow up on that…until I was talking with one of my coaches. She suggested that euphemisms also apply to human rights, different cultures, the genders, and different parts of the world. I don’t feel qualified to address that.
As a little girl, I didn’t like the carrots we had. Maybe they were old and I didn’t know what fresh carrots tasted like, but I didn’t enjoy eating them. Knowing they were good for me, to get them down, I dipped them in Miracle Whip (I didn’t know about mayonnaise until I was an adult). Eating Brussel sprouts required a similar approach: doused in melted butter with cashews. I’m so glad I love eating carrots and Brussel sprouts today — without their “sugarcoating” to make them palatable.
This week’s article is about embracing surprise. Fortunately for me, I enjoy surprises. It started when I was in grade school, it might have been my sixth birthday. My parents woke me up out of a sound sleep and said, “It’s your birthday. Go find your birthday present.” And in my sleepy stupor stage, I walked around and around the house, walked past the pile of gifts four or five times before they finally gave up and said, “Here they are.” — I had a good time.
Embracing surprise is not for the faint-hearted. There is opportunity in surprise, for those who are open enough to look for it and see it. Sometimes it takes curiosity to find it, but opportunity is almost there. The question is, how will you respond to the surprises and opportunities that roll into your life?
I recently wrote an article called Your Resiliency Toolbox. In that article, I discussed the various, myriad ways you can maintain your resiliency, your emotional strength and power, and some of the differences of what helps you not thrive versus thrive beautifully.
You’ll hear about many ways to make and keep your resilience strong. You hear about the value of community, consistent routines for self-care, and setting goals. Those are all valuable and when you use them all, they make for a good foundation to keep you resilient in the face of adversity and challenges. Part of the message is to develop good mental health.