Can I just begin with, whew! Okay good. I haven't been holding my breath or anything. I think I'm just out of breath. Set alarm, wake UP! stop pushing snooze already! shower, be glam, well, as glam as one can be on a weekday morning before the sun rises, make the lunch and do the lists! and find the car keys and go to work, oh and don't forget the Starbucks on the way, and drive safely, and go through the big gates, and sign in to the systems and do all the things, and YES, of course I can do this project, yes SIR you can count on me, and ....my GOD where did the day go, it cannot be five p.m. and go back to the car, and drive through the big gates! and be in AWE of the traffic and drive safely, and please dear God tell me I don't have to stop for anything, and oh yeah, relax, I'm at home, and should I yoga? of course you BETTER yoga you silly girl, and shower and stop trying to do all the things! and sit down.......wait. It can't be time for bed yet.
Please.
Tell me I have a little more time for you, you crazy long day. You promised me I would have more time. You fickle, fickle day. Sigh.
And then January came and went like a kite, billowing on a very windy, Winter day in North Texas.
I believe I've had this thought before, but when working on this project at work, I realized that a little encouragement goes a long way. And I mean a long way. I try to do this for my friends, and my coworkers (which are one in the same, and I'm lucky for that), that whole, "you're doing such a good job with this" thing. I say it. I email it. And, I mean it.
I was sitting in my managers office the other day, hashing out, (what I am sure were), ideas that were to be the equivalent to us running this company one day. baHA! Oh I'm kidding. I glanced up and noticed a hand drawn picture that his daughter made for him, hanging on the wall. Now if you're familiar with young children at all, sometimes it's difficult to make out what they've drawn or said. It's very whimsical to me, to see their ideas pop out onto that construction paper, with their own words, or lack thereof, and their drawing of that idea. I happen to know this little lady and she is definitely whimsical. Very infectious smile, and attitude.
I couldn't really make out much, other than it looked like a round doughnut and her running behind it, and "Daddy helpd" and "tir".
So, I asked him what it said.
"Oh, that was field day at middle school. Are you familiar with that?"
Of course I was, I told him. Those days were always so fun. Sort of like competitions but I never felt pressure, just had a lot of fun hanging out with my friends and teachers, doing the fabulous things outside, instead of inside, sitting at a desk, in a classroom.
"Well, they were doing this tire (tir) roll and she was having a little bit of a hard time with it, bless her heart"
I said, "you helped her didn't you?" I fully expected him to say yes, because that is how I know him. If anyone needs help or is struggling, he will jump right on and not let that person drown.
"Well, no. But I encouraged her to the finish line", he said, so seriously.
BAM there it is again. He didn't do it for her, he encouraged her to not give up, keep going, she's almost there and she CAN do it, and ....she did do it. Of course she did, she had encouragement.
These are the thoughts with me today.
If you're given a project to do, that could seem impossible, or not fair, or annoying....stop and remember that you would not be chosen for it, if the person didn't believe in you. They are giving you a vehicle to stretch your mind, and show yourself that you can do anything. Given the chance.
If you see your friend, or teammate, or coworker, having a bad day or maybe even a good day, and they are working diligently on something, it takes a few seconds to praise them. A pat on the back never hurt anyone, trust me on that. I don't think I know anyone that doesn't like to hear, "you're doing such a great job!". I don't know about you, but that's fuel for me. It just makes me keep going strong. It makes me want to keep going strong.
And Dory, after all, is one brilliant little fish!
I hope things are going well for you friend, remember, you're doing a great job.
See you soon,
Tiffany
PS Breakfast on the run can be just as tasty as sitting on a patio, relaxing. I just prefer the latter most of the time. At Tiffany's anyway.
