Hi Friend
This weekend I headed up to visit my daughter at St. Louis University. I left on Friday, so I asked Monica if she would write this week’s Instigator. Enjoy…
Monica here; if this is our first informal introduction, let me just say I hope to one day cross paths!
Last week our business manager, Sarah and I got to travel to Chicago for an event. The event was excellent, and I felt that kindred spirit and mutual appreciation for this group, so it was a wonderful experience to contribute to their yearly gathering.
We had a couple hours outside the event to sightsee, so to the water we went! Not to get in, fall weather had already arrived, but just to get close to it, to take in the natural beauty the city had to offer. The ferris wheel on Navy Pier is huge and fun, so after a quick bite we hopped on for several times around the wheel.
Every time we went up and around I saw things I didn’t or couldn’t see before; the beaches, the boats, the city scape. Plus, the sun was setting, so every second that passed the colors and beauty of the skyline and water was updating! It was beautiful and to be honest it made me fall in love with Chicago, a place I had previously chalked up to a mini New York, which I love “in small doses”, but Chicago was different. I kept thinking in surprise, “I really love this place”, all because of how I was able to see it, take it in, and appreciate it.
Instigating Questions…
1. How’s YOUR view of work and life as a whole right now?
2. How can you elevate your perspective to see it better, take it all in, appreciate it, “love it” a little bit more?
Here’s a little tmi for you…ever since OKC had a slight tic down in temperatures and up in precipitation my allergies have been triggered by the ragweed and I have had a nagging cough for 3 weeks, 3 weeks people! (I know, how very Oklahoman of me! :))
Now I, just like you, have dealt with all kinds of crises in my life; I should be able to handle ragweed! But these types of little consistent irritations wear on my nerves like: “death by a thousand cuts”, or my dog who won’t stop licking his leg when I’m falling asleep, or cars in front of me who won’t turn right on red. (Oh, typing that made me laugh out loud!) You get the point, the struggle is real!
There have actually been several times in the last couple weeks with this little cough where I have had to check my attitude, reframe my perspective and “will” myself to see all the good that is clearly there, but out of focus because of my present small irritating problem!
“I really love this place.” That is not something we can say when we are blinded by pressing issues (big or small). But it is possible to feel that sense in honesty IF we can check our attitudes and shift our perspective to see all the good right under our nose!
Instigating Questions…
1. Do you have any nagging issues clouding your perspective?
2. How can you adjust your attitude and thinking so that you can love the place you are at? It is possible!
Something Greg’s son wrote in the Hawks Agency Monthly: Ready Set Go, has stuck with me the last few weeks and I can’t forget it, I even found a way to quote him in one of my keynote/trainings. He said this, “I know that my generation (Gen Z) has specific workplace values. We’re hyper-aware of burnout, unhealthy work environments, and jobs that take a toll on our physical and mental health. To work effectively, we look for a culture of empathy. Simply taking a beat to pause and trying to understand the people you work with helps everyone!” – Lincoln Hawks
I can relate to the desire and sentiments he mentioned, I think we all can. When we consider the headlining strikes, the frustrations, the pain points of industries across the board, it doesn’t take a data analysis to tell us; people of every generation and every genre want to be seen and understood. I’m talking active listening and efforts made in the right direction.
If people neglect to pause and understand each other, everyone connected pays the price, everyone. All is not lost; we can be the change we want to see in the world. We can choose our perspective outlook. We can choose to pause. We can choose to check and adjust our views of others and our circumstances. We can live aligned with our values, and we can inspire others to do the same.
So, final “Instigating Questions” for you this week:
1. Who can you pause to understand better?
2. Who can you “elevate” your perspective of?
Never forget, a little shift goes a long way, and affects the trajectory of our efforts infinitely.
You’ve got this!
Monica Sheri Scott