July 2, 2017
Clear Confident Leader Weekly Observer, Issue #43
From the Greenbelt of Boise, Idaho, Warm summer morning
Normal: conforming to a standard; usual, typical, expected.
– Google
Normal: perpendicular to a tangent; at a point of tangency.
– Merriam-Webster
I recently returned from a week-long trip visiting family and attending a leadership certification program. I was expecting life to return to normal. Contrary to my expectations, I’d moved off on a tangent, requiring me to adapt.
Yes, I was tired from long days and nights, and 1600 miles of driving. I was also drained from a lot of people interaction and the stress of learning. What I didn’t realize is the events caused a deeper change, leading me to see the world differently.
It is easy to view a deviation from what we expect as a problem. When we do, our common response is to fix the problem to return to "normal". We can feel uncomfortable and harshly judge ourselves until things feel right again.
Not feeling my “normal” self, I’ve been wondering what’s wrong with me, making up several stories. Until it dawned on me that I’m in a transition, and part of my current reality is the discomfort of new expectations. I have a choice, I can give up on my new expectations or accept the discomfort and move forward.
Returning to “normal” is an illusion offering a known view at a moment in time. Growth requires exploring and experimenting in new territory while accepting the discomfort of not knowing. Each shift we make leads to a “new normal”.
My desire to return to normal to be comfortable, was getting in the way of creating new outcomes. Seeing the tension between my current reality and what I want to create, helps me accept the discomfort of stepping into new territory.
Here are a few questions to consider:
Let’s create a better future today!
Clear Confident Leader Weekly Observer, Issue #43
From the Greenbelt of Boise, Idaho, Warm summer morning
Normal: conforming to a standard; usual, typical, expected.
Normal: perpendicular to a tangent; at a point of tangency.
– Merriam-Webster
I recently returned from a week-long trip visiting family and attending a leadership certification program. I was expecting life to return to normal. Contrary to my expectations, I’d moved off on a tangent, requiring me to adapt.
Yes, I was tired from long days and nights, and 1600 miles of driving. I was also drained from a lot of people interaction and the stress of learning. What I didn’t realize is the events caused a deeper change, leading me to see the world differently.
It is easy to view a deviation from what we expect as a problem. When we do, our common response is to fix the problem to return to "normal". We can feel uncomfortable and harshly judge ourselves until things feel right again.
Not feeling my “normal” self, I’ve been wondering what’s wrong with me, making up several stories. Until it dawned on me that I’m in a transition, and part of my current reality is the discomfort of new expectations. I have a choice, I can give up on my new expectations or accept the discomfort and move forward.
Returning to “normal” is an illusion offering a known view at a moment in time. Growth requires exploring and experimenting in new territory while accepting the discomfort of not knowing. Each shift we make leads to a “new normal”.
My desire to return to normal to be comfortable, was getting in the way of creating new outcomes. Seeing the tension between my current reality and what I want to create, helps me accept the discomfort of stepping into new territory.
Here are a few questions to consider:
- What new outcomes do I want to create?
- How does returning to normal inhibit my growth?
- What helps me step into new territory?
Let’s create a better future today!