I fell asleep with the lights and laptop on last night, Family, but I wasn’t going to miss your short stop for the week. It’s less than 500 words, so let’s get into it!
Do you let your phone battery die often?
My mother was the prime example of this behavior. In the middle of a conversation, the call would end abruptly. She would catch it before it died sometimes and give me a quick benediction. One day, I said “Ma, how do you let your phone die in the house? You have all of the electricity you need and you won’t plug it in. That’s hilarious.”
She chuckled. So did I. Then we were cackling like cartoon hyenas.
“I’m just sayin’, Ma… you pay for it – every month!”
We laughed until our eyes leaked with tears.
“You know, you’re right! I can’t say nothin’ but you’re right!” she hollered between laughing spells.
When you think about it, we do this too. Well, I rarely let my phone die, but some good things have perished because I didn’t plug into an opportunity. Networking events host people that can assist your dreams. Social settings yield fertile ground for collaborations to flourish, but fear of failure, imposter syndrome, or downright shyness can choke you. I would be in a room full of outlets and let my proverbial phone die. I would talk myself out of simply opening my mouth.
But, I’ve been changing that since last year.
It’s resulted in speaking engagements, new clients, new colleagues, budding friendships and upcoming travel. I just had to plug into the room – more importantly, plug into the moment. I couldn’t keep making excuses and being cozy in my silo. Life was in the same space as my heartbeat. Opportunity was floating around me like a graceful dancer. All I had to do was connect. Something so simple seemed so far away as I wanted to reach out with crippled emotions, but I did it over and over again until it became soft like an old sweater.
What are you not plugging into, Family? Where is life budding and why are you letting your potential die? Are there outlets in your community, place of worship, workplace, or coffee shop? I’ve always been great at making genuine personal connections, but I’m learning how to crush negative self-talk when it comes to professional opportunities. Maybe you need a little nudge in both arenas. That’s OK. Now you know.
Let’s continue to grow in this Earth pot together. There’s a lot of battery life to power us all.
Peace & Thanks for listening. I love y’all.
Listening at the Speed of Life 