Hi Friend
This has been the most unexpected and surpassing expectations week of my life. It’s been more than I would anticipate happening in any given week. The personal stuff is too fresh to share – but rest assured, some day I will share it with you, cause it’s just a bit nuts. On the professional side – the surpassing expectations – it was soul-filling-delightful.
I went to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It was my first time. The client, TriNet, I’ve worked with for four years. It’s the L&D team, plus sales training, plus a few more. I was their last in-person event in January 2020. This was their first time back together and it was at the leaders, Cathy’s, hometown. Which is right out of a Hallmark Movie. It’s so quaint and special.
It’s so hallmarky, that there was a parade to kick of December! It went on and on and on, for literally hours. We only stayed for a portion of it, but it was fabulous. The rich character of the small town was joyous and fun.
It’s been a minute since I’ve been to a parade. And I don’t recall ever being at a Night Parade. EVERYONE came out for it. And it seemed, EVERYONE was in it as well. I feel like Seinfeld, but what’s the deal with parades? How did standing along a street watching cars, marching bands, floats and people waving become a thing? I’m sure it was a marketing stunt designed as a family gathering.
PARADE PURPOSE
I love that it’s a gathering mechanism. Grabbing some hot cocoa and standing around with loads of strangers creates a memorable experience. Our life is made up of memorable moments. Sometimes they are planned, sometimes serendipitous, sometimes divine and sometimes purely accidental. If you could fashion one distinct memorable moment every week with those you love, wouldn’t you?
It’s usually after-the-fact we look back and go “Wow that was a special time.” The parade is like a city-wide campfire. It draws people together around it and then leaves it up to the attendees to generate something meaningful from it. Planning parades is a leadership expression. Home, work, relationships, service, community – initiating the effort requires thoughtful effort and then compelling others to participate.
SCALE AND SCOPE
2024 is on my mind. Considering how I can make sure every week I contribute to a parade production or participate as an attendee is important. Giving people a reason to come together is noble. It can be as small as 3 people or as large as 300. What are some effective mechanisms for gathering folks: FOOD (always works), Shared entertainment (movies, sports, concerts), Service (volunteering together), Learning.
The difficulty is that frequently we don’t want to be a participator. We are content to remain at home, in our office, in our comfort zone and separated. The duality of desiring alone-time while also wanting belonging is a debate that isolation usually wins. What if we set goals around weekly experiences that weren’t our first choice; instead choosing discomfort?
Instigating Ideas…
1. Participate in a grouping of humans.
2. Tell someone about one of your favorite unexpected “parades” in 2023.
3. Catch an actual parade if you can.
I like surprises. They make instantaneous memorable moments. They also make for great stories. I even like surprising myself. I think we surpriseourselves when we act courageously. The above-mentioned idea of choosing discomfort is really choosing courage. We rarely recognize that fear is the fence around our comfort zone that keeps us living small.
I WANT BIG
I want big experiences. I want to take big risks. I want big ideas to bounce around my brain. I want to make a big impact. I want to create big opportunities. I want to serve a big mission. I want to live a big life. Of course, “big” is relative. I want big for you!
Parades, participation, memorable moments, surprises, courage and bigness… seems reasonable to consider our approach to each in 2024.
I hope these last few weeks of 2023 you create multiple memorable moments! I hope you act courageously and participate willingly. If feeling extra, surprise someone in a big way.