My weekly emails are for you if you want a transformational SHOT OF POSITIVITY that makes you think, gets you laughing, and sparks a positive change. Start each week inspired.
The change you don't know you need
|
Reader, I know we are supposed to hate change, but do you ever think it would do you good? This week's #ShowUpPositive Spark, RECALIBRATE, is inspired by my seventeen year old daughter. Here's the story. Sarah is a competitive equestrian rider and works on a horse farm. She has a whole circle of people in her life who are unknown to my husband and me. So when one of these folks asked her to stay at there farm and take care of the animals while they were away on vacation, we were a little uncertain.
For Sarah, however, this was an important experiment. She explained that these nine days of basically living apart from us would be a good trial for college next year. That thinking made sense and I reflected on my memory of the first night at college after all the parents were gone, which is both trepidatious and full of promise.
For the last nine days, Sarah has lived on a farm about 40 minutes from our house, taking care of cows, horses, goats, cats, and dogs. I spoke with her several early mornings and evenings around sunset when she was taking care of the animals in the twilight. The shorter daylight hours definitely added to the challenge, and I told my husband how important this was for her understanding of what it would mean to own a horse at college (one of her ambitions). What I expected to hear from her was how demanding keeping up the farm was on top of school and work. What she said instead completely floored me! 🤯 I am now convinced that I want to live on a farm. I felt so much better this past week. It completely improved my mood. I loved sitting outside in the evening to do my homework. I spent the entire weekend out on the property enjoying the outdoors. Reader, immediately John Denver started singing "Thank God I'm a country boy" in my head.😂 As I further reflected on her experience and insight, I realized that her surprise at how much her environment impacted her sense of health and well-being is an important lesson for all of us. We are often caught in the rut of our circumstances, settling for what we know. Because it is familiar, we assume it is true, completely adapting to our slow decline and convincing ourselves that it is normal and to be expected. So we sit in something less than what it could be, like the proverbial frog in the pot of water slowly coming to a boil. There is an alternative, which is to recalibrate: to reexamine (one’s thinking, a plan, a system of values, etc.) and correct it in accord with a new understanding or purpose [source: dictionary.com]. Here are some recalibrating questions to ask yourself:
Reader, what I know unhesitatingly is that you deserve to be and show the world the best version of you. 🥰 Who do you know that is looking for a speaker for meetings, workshops, or trainings? An introduction would be awesome! 🥰 |
Rita Ernst, Positivity Influencer
My weekly emails are for you if you want a transformational SHOT OF POSITIVITY that makes you think, gets you laughing, and sparks a positive change. Start each week inspired.
Reader I want to talk about something that is a constant struggle for me: Vulnerability. I’ve been asking myself why it feels like such a battle, and I finally uncovered the "programming" behind it: As a child: I was celebrated for being "smart and competent." That competence earned me freedoms and opportunities others didn't get. In school: Getting it right the first time was praised; getting it wrong and learning was seen as a failure. At work: As a woman, I often felt I had to disprove the...
Reader I have to brag a moment. Tracy is one of my favorite client leaders, and it’s because she understands a fundamental truth that many business owners miss: Technical knowledge is not the same as leadership competency. When she was filling the head position in Client Services Operations, Tracy didn't look for a niche-industry insider. Instead, she hired someone she respected from outside her sector—someone with deep customer service roots and a proven track record of day-to-day team...
Reader I have the worst experience with Google Maps in Europe. It's our last day on Capri. My husband and I are headed out to explore the island and visit several tourist destinations. We bought an e-SIM data plan that's loaded onto my phone. One of the main uses is accessing Google Maps for directions. The problem is that it doesn't work as well on foot as it does in a car. I've had several instances of walking in the opposite direction I am supposed to travel without Google Maps alerting...