For the past few months, I have been actively focusing on moving from surface to deeper interactions. You may read this and think it an odd goal, yet, as I broke down my daily practice – I realized it is an area I needed to strengthen to better serve my family, my school, and to better contribute to my overall wellness. As a part of my Mentor, Coaching and Leadership Development practicum, my goal is to change my typical closed greeting of “Having a good day?” to a more open greeting of “How are you?” and pair it with the essential element of wait time.
The course has caused me to pause and evaluate the quality of each exchange and intentionally wait to fully hear the response. Like many goals, it is a work in progress. However, I now find myself being more purposeful and when I miss a chance to hear someone – when I forget and move at a hurried pace trapped by my own agenda – I pause, reflect and strive to grow in my practice.
This January, as I considered New Years’ resolutions, I read the post by @wired.for.wellbeing noting gap and gain. This distinction has shifted my focus and has helped me become more self aware of my progress. At times a closed response has often been safer, but I am gaining strength in my ability to practice courageous vulnerability without over sharing.
One of the recent social media trends was to post a photo from ten years ago. On first glance, this 2016 portrait from the Pink Tie Affair seems picture perfect in comparison to one from today.
The photo is in some ways seamless; yet, the reality of this snapshot is life was much more turbulent. Reflecting now, it is fitting as I was too afraid to share I was crumbling, hurting, lost – only willing to share a partial story. Now, a decade later, a photo although less picture perfect by social medias definitions – would be placed in a more grounded frame. So much life and loss have happened, but so too has healing, and as always hope. Each day, my hope is to have learned from the days lessons able to move stronger into the next ready to learn again.
Graceful Grief 