Eventually we have to DO something!
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:115%;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN;}
Over lunch during the holidays my adult children were discussing a philosopher’s perspective on options. I was too busy chasing around a 15 month old to hear all the details but evidently there is a philosopher who has posited that limited choices are better for us than feeling like we can do anything we want just because we want it. It seems too many options freeze us from actually acting on them AND they increase anxiety (Note from the editor: We were discussing Jean-Paul Sartre- here's a fun Youtube video that talks about what we were talking about: Click here to view).
Pro's and con's were bantered about but I think the philosopher was onto something. At the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages of change the sky is kind of the limit. Daydreaming is encouraged. Pursue all options! But once we move into the stage of determination, choices must be made in order to move forward into the action stage of change.
A couple times a week I attend an hour long killer fit camp where my favorite instructor in all the world demands in a nice tone that I do things that I am pretty sure will kill me. It turns out she is better at assessing my abilities than I am. I’ve worked hard to be consistent in attendance, but I also have a life and that means I am not there 100% of the time.
But if I am going to survive, even thrive, in my training - I have to *&%(^%$ show up! My trainer, my training team...no one can do the one thing that I must do: show up. I do not have to show up with enthusiasm or happy thoughts. I can show up sore and tired and cranky but show up I must. I am blessed with an instructor who does not shame us when we show up 80% of the time because she understands how change works and shame is NEVER part of good change theory.
However, she has taught us that showing up consistently is kind of a requirement if we want the best of her. In other words, as good as she is, she cannot give us her best if we are not showing up to receive what she has to offer.
Here’s what I’ve learned from watching people and listening to mentors:
Show up. When we work on a team our presence counts not only for ourselves but others. Some things are ours to do, when we don’t do what is ours to do it might mean that someone else doesn’t get to do their thing.
For today - show up. Practicing showing up. See what happens.
