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Selfless Leadership.
Leadership is hard, you guys. 😔 I can’t attribute all of my life changes to leadership specifically, but it has played a very large role in shaping my perspective and how I interact/think of others. Not only have I become a more assertive communicator, but I have heightened self-awareness, higher emotional intelligence, and a much bigger “big picture” approach when analyzing most situations. It feels like I am constantly making (big and small) sacrifices for the benefit of others, often with little to no reward. But then, I got to thinking about Jesus. And living impeccably. My assumption was that living impeccably makes life easier; that there would be more happiness. But that’s not really the case. Life has definitely…
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Self-Betrayal.
I think most of us would agree that we are not in the practice of self-betrayal. We don’t intentionally do things or make decisions that would purposefully bring us harm. Except we do make decisions that unintentionally do bring us harm. When we are presented with a choice, we have the option of honoring our morals, values, beliefs, desires, etc. or betraying them. When you make the “right” decision, there are usually positive side effects. When you make the “wrong” decision, it can lead to all sorts of negative effects. I was recently presented with a choice. A very big decision had to be made and there were a lot of moving parts. I chose to move forward, because I didn’t want to be…
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Strength.
I was recently asked, “What makes you feel strong?” The question caught me off-guard, and I did a quick analysis of my life. I thought about my job, being a volunteer, public speaking, relationships, travel, the programs I’ve been part of, the opportunities I’ve had, and being a leader. Without much conscious thought, I replied, “I feel strongest in my weakest moments.” Then I got caught off-guard by my own response, and I’ve been thinking about it since. I’m realizing how true the statement is. There have been times where I am curled up in a ball, crying, feeling every piece of my heart break 💔, experiencing extremely deep hurts that translate into actual…
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Listen.
People just straight up do. not. pay. attention. Maybe it’s because I’m true to my word and not super forgetful that people fail to recognize that I rarely need reminding, and I say pretty much exactly what I mean. Examples: A lady emailed me about a couple of things. I told her I would have the planting schedule to her by the end of the week, but continued to communicate with her on traceability. By the end of our few exchanges, she said “I still need the ranches and blocks on these plantings.” Uh, yeah, I know. It was Wednesday. I told her I’d have them to her by the end of the week. I still had 2 days…
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Truth.
The truth can hurt. That is fact. But wouldn’t you rather know the truth than believe a lie or lie by omission? I would. Not knowing and feelings of uncertainty can linger for as long as something is being avoided. I don’t want to live in discomfort indefinitely. I would rather quick pain of the truth, so I can feel it, and move on from it. Rip the Band-Aid off. 🩹 Quick and painful is better than slow and painful. Yeah? I do believe “the truth will set you free,” but I also believe some people “can’t handle the truth.” This is true of myself too. We cannot control our emotional reaction, but we can manage that emotion. And some of us manage our emotions better than…