Authentically August

There is just something about August that feels so real. Perhaps it is the realization that the year is over halfway through. Or perhaps it is seeing the plants beginning to end their summer growth.

August is a time for change and a time to prepare to harvest everything we have been working on all year long.

Our ideas from January are no longer dreams. We can see them growing in the fields before us, and we can clearly see what "rooted" and what did not.

That realization can be disappointing if we do not see the yield we had dreamed of, but I choose to focus on the "truth" that lies in the moment.

Consider this - bread is not something we pick off a vine. There are several steps from planting the wheat, to harvesting, milling, and then making the bread.

What I want you to "realize" is that when you look at your harvest, you may not yet see the end result. There probably are a few more steps to take to get to your goals.

So, keep going!

Quote  "We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories and future promise.”  Edward Sellner

Reading

I recently did some reading on how to manage difficult conversations for a client I was working with.  And as usually happens, one article led to another and another and finally to this great piece on the art of listening -- which, it so happens, is a key component in managing difficult conversations!—5 Listening Insights from the Chinese Character for Listening, by SkillPaks (Click here).

The five components that make up the Chinese character for listening are:

(1) ears:  as you are listening pay attention to the tone of the person’s voice.  The pace of the person’s speech and the words they emphasize provide key insight.

(2) Eyes: the person’s eyes and the person’s gaze will also underscore what they are saying.  Use your eyes to connect and reflect what you are hearing.

(3) Mind: listen with an open mind and consider the ideas that are being shared beyond the words being used. 

(4) Heart: keep an open heart to empathize with the speaker. 

(5) Undivided attention is represented in the image as the long downward stroke.

Wow, just wow!  This great article goes on to suggest having a listening challenge with team members by selecting one of the five components to focus on over the course of 5 days.   

Following        

Wealthy Speaker Podcast with Jane Atkinson.  From her website:  “If you’ve ever wondered how to get started in speaking, wanted to get paid more or build your speaking business more quickly and need skills in a particular area, be sure to subscribe.”  (click here)

Connecting      

One of my favorite quotes is “Make allies and believers” by my late husband, Joseph Allen.  It’s also one of my favorite workshop topics and I’m happy to invite you to a webinar I’m presenting on 14 September on how to make allies and believers.  I’ll share some tools and then we will use breakout rooms to connect and network with women businesses and corporations and organizations who support them.  Click here to register.

Celebrating      

This week I’m celebrating the beauty and significance of random thoughts.  I have a favorite spot in my garden where I sit and read on a daily basis.  It’s right next to some banana trees which are just the right height to provide shade for my favorite chair.  Earlier this week, one of the leaves started to droop and I had to cut it off.  And since I had the garden sheers in my hands that led me to do some other pruning and I started to stack the cuttings on a table. 

Then something amazing happened—I looked over and saw what looked like an abstract painting made entirely of garden cuttings.  The colors were spectacular and what gave me pause was how nice it looked despite the randomness of the composition.  And that got me thinking about the importance of giving ourselves time to have random thoughts. 

Some call that daydreaming.  Others call it quiet/contemplative time.  I call it creativity pauses and I encourage you to build them into your day.  Walk outside, go do some weeding or pruning, stand in the moonlight.  You will be surprised and possibly amazed at what comes into your mind.  It might not make sense right at that moment, but hold on to it, because you will most likely find that you needed to hear, see and/or feel that very thing!  For me the random cuttings turned into the colors I will use in the centerpiece and tablescape for the very important dinner party I’m hosting this weekend.

So now I ask you, what will you really see when you look at bread?

What steps will you take the next few weeks to:

• Harvest your ideas
• Determine what needs to happen to make them happen
• Develop a strategy
• Then build and sell them

And if you need support, remember I am here along with my team and all of our resources. Click here to grab your 30-minute discovery chat.

 Wishing you peace and joy.