When you have to…

You know that book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?

I don’t have a lot of those. Lucky.

It’s more like: Mary and the Fine, Forgettable, Not-Terrible, Totally Blah Day

I’m coming out of months at a pretty intense pace. Travel. At least 2 trips a month since January (I actually don’t even want to count).

Changes to our team. To our client roster. Some exciting programs. Amazing clients. (So fun!).

A home renovation (why did we do that to ourselves??!). A car stolen. A kid graduating high school. The other home from university.  Drywallers, plumbers, pets and people everywhere. Nowhere to hide for months. And now, the dust has settled and I’m not sure I know how to go at anything but warp speed.  

It’s Thursday morning at 6 a.m. I’m sitting in my beautiful office. I have to write One Thing Thursday (one of my favourite weekly activities)  and I just…don’t feel like it.

As a word nerd, and a personal development fanatic trained in Positive Psychology and Neuro Linguistic Programming, I should be able to CRUSH this challenge.

I should be able to:

  • Change my mind
  • Change my words
  • Change my attitude

And hit the day with all kinds of gusto.

A little ho-hum can’t get the best of me.

That’s true on a lot of days, but not all of them.

Nevertheless, I am going to try.

I work with leadership teams, employee groups and give industry keynotes on the Power of Story.

I know some fascinating research on the power of words to shape meaning.

Think about it…

Good / Bad
Love / Hate
Job / Mission

Words hold the power for human beings to make meaning.

And perhaps the most powerful tool I have ever shared with any group over years (I know because I often ask) …is the simple shift:

From: I have to…

To: I get to…

When you frame it that way, your brain starts scanning for all the reasons you’re fortunate to be in the situation you’re in.

The first time I tried this was over a decade ago.

Our kids were little. I was on the leadership team of a mid-sized agency.

I’d just finished a morning workout and was in the shower, thinking about how the rest of my day was for everyone else.

Tons of back-to-back meetings.

Then off to a university panel to evaluate student marketing presentations.

And I just … didn’t feel like it.

So I reframed it.

I don’t have  to do any of these things.

I get to.

I get to wake up early and move my body.

I get to wake up early and move my body.

I get to be invited into those meetings because people value my input.

I get to support students who are working hard to learn and win.

And today?

I get  to write One Thing Thursday, one of my favourite weekly activities.

It gives me a moment to pause, reflect, and play with words.

To share stories that might offer someone else a nudge or reminder.

And maybe, if I’m lucky, they’ll tell me so. (And I love when you do.)

This whole process fuels energy and creativity for everything else I do.

So today was never Alexander awful.

It’s just human. And full of little moments I get to show up for.

Even before coffee.

What do you GET to do today?


Mary

P.S. We help visionary leaders and organizations achieve more impact through purpose, engagement and storytelling. When you’re ready, here’s how we can help:


P.P.S. Check out past One Thing Thursdays here.

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