The Perfection Perception

“Wow you have such a perfect job.”

“Your life is perfect.”

“Your [relationship, marriage, kids, world, career, friendships, family, neighborhood, choices…and the list goes on] is so perfect.”

The Perfection Perception catches a glimpse from the outside.

The Perfection Perception sees you at your best.

The Perfection Perception creates comparison.

But this is a distorted view.

The Perfection Perception doesn’t see the mess inside.

The Perfection Perception doesn’t see your doubt, worry, stress, and struggle.

The Perfection Perception doesn’t see the hard work, the failure, and the loss.

Beware of the Perfection Perception, it is a cloudy lens that creates separation and unnecessary comparison.

Perfect Timing

“That email was perfect timing, thanks for reaching out.”

“Getting together today was perfect timing.”

“Your words/that card/the call/ was perfect timing, I needed it.”

You reach out to someone else.

You take the time to connect.

You send that note.

You make that call.

Perfect Timing?

Maybe initiating connection with others is always Perfect Timing.

 

Finding the Creatives

The Happy Envelope (@thehappyenvelope) • Instagram photos and videos (1)

A new city.

A day of wandering.

Food, coffee, art, chocolate, music, more food, and walking in the footsteps of an icon.

But we are always on another mission in a new place: Finding the Creatives.

Discovering those people who are making, designing, and creating something new different and special.

It was the t-shirt that caught out attention. A simple message in the front window that drew us in.

Choose Happy.

An easy beacon or map for Finding the Creatives.

The Happy Envelope may be a design company that specializes in printing, invitations, and announcements, but they are also something more.

They are Creatives.

These Creatives teamed up together with a printing press from the 1870’s.

These Creatives are self-described “Owners and Creative Visionaries.”

These Creatives welcomed us in.

These Creatives told their story.

These Creatives shared their creation.

These Creatives inspired us with their work.

Going someplace new? Need to discover your own city again?

Try Finding the Creatives. Go and look for them.

And as for you Creatives out there…

Do you have an idea?

Do you have a vision?

Go. Dream. Make.

We will find you.

The Happy Envelope Business Card

To Sarah and Ty: Thanks for creating and for the experience.

Ty and the Press

(A quick shout-out to Yukon Cornelius who perches above the operation with foreman like qualities.)

Cross-Examine the Narrator

That Narrator.

That voice.

The one who cuts you down.

The one who seems to have a job description to regularly review your faults and past failures and bring a case against you.

We can try to silence the Narrator, but simply recognizing and trying to ignore that voice is not always enough.

During a coaching session we talked about the Narrator, and how often it reminds us of faults or short-comings. And, how when we silence that voice in one area or approach, the Narrator seems to find another angle, another strategy, another way to try to disrupt us.

But there is another way.

Cross-Examine the Narrator.

Instead of just taking in these words, these accusations, maybe it is time for us to examine the evidence, and take issue with these old approaches and rehashing of past failures.

Maybe it is time we put the Narrator on the stand after each statement or accusation that is leveled against us.

“Well you are not very consistent, if you were, you would be more successful. Look at the time you have wasted, and where you could be today.”

Hold on a second, now it is my turn and in my best pretend courtroomy lawyerly voice.

“I may not always be consistent, but part of my behavioral style allows me to be flexible and move quickly which is a strong quality. And as far as success, I am successful and here are the areas that I have had great success. [list of the evidence]”

“Yes, but…”

“So, you agree that I have had successes, but you keep insisting on bringing up old news, or old events. Your honor, I move to dismiss all charges.”

“I object!”

“Object all you want. You have no case. You have no relevant facts, and your accusations are groundless and are more of a distraction. Case dismissed!”

Don’t let the Narrator’s voice go unchallenged.

Speak up and Cross-Examine the Narrator.

Present the evidence.

Be tough on that voice that has been tough on you.

Dismiss the case against you.

Move forward and be free.

Happy Anniversary

anniversary-2x

This morning this little icon appeared in WordPress, along with a quick note:

“Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!
You registered on WordPress.com 5 years ago.
Thanks for flying with us. Keep up the good blogging.”

Wow, it has been 5 years.

Where did the time go?

268 posts.

53.6 posts per year, right on target.

So many words.

Too many to count.

So many ideas.

Fun to wander back through. Did I really write that?

So many thoughts.

Will this continue? Will these thoughts still find their way into the world?

Thank you for reading.

There are so many other things you could do with your time and energy, thanks for making the choice.

Thank you for sharing.

Both for your ideas/lives/experiences with me, and for sending this out to those around you.

Thank you for coming along for this journey.

This little experiment only works when we take the journey together.

I wonder what the next 5 years will bring?

Stories, progress, setbacks, wins, losses, fears, edges, goals and life lived and observed.

Unleashed

Unleashed

Unleashed.

No longer held back.

No internal barriers stopping you.

No external barriers getting in your way.

Unlike an untethered state, Unleashed is when you are completely free to pursue your biggest dreams.

Unleashed means to set in motion.

What does that motion mean for you?

Starting that business?

Selling, merging, or changing the operation?

Pursuing that certification?

Taking that trip?

Quitting that job?

Finding that new career path?

Taking that risk?

Writing?

Creating?

Don’t mistake an anchor for a leash.

Anchors ground you.

Leashes hold you back and restrain you.

Go. Dream. Move.

Go. Be. Unleashed.