Last week, I returned to Zurich from the USA midday Sunday and suffered to stay awake through evening. Typical jet lag. The summer sunshine helped, as I wandered somewhat dazedly through a grocery store at the train station (the only store open on a Sunday). A mid-wander coffee also helped. That first day is a killer!
The fun of last week stood out in three clear ways for me (instead of five this time):
- Hosted a jalle Leadership & Learning Community lunch dialogue seminar on Friday. Well-attended and well-received. I facilitated this one because it focused on my organizational communications content. (Normally Sandra Ondraschek and I co-facilitate; she'll lead the June 29th session with her content about Resilence.) I learned a lot, as usual, from the participants' discussions. Feeling you've created and delivered something of value is a great way to end a week.
- Felt good to simply come to the office every day and tackle the next productive topic without changing hotels or getting on an airplane as in the last two weeks. Have plenty to do: client consulting, prep marketing for Fall, prep seminar content, meet with clients or interested people in general etc. I enjoy nearly every activity associated with this business.
- Continued team and relationship-building through the Professional Womens Group. (See my last blog post.)
The less enjoyable (just one thing, as most of the week was really more enjoyable!):
- Will I EVER stop coughing? I know. I know. A few more days of this and it's off to a doctor. It's just that I still remember clearly the three trained physicians who "checked" my breasts in February. This congestion is in the same general region. I imagined a cold stethescope...and decided to try regular sleep and diet first!
What I learned:
I'd say more accurately that "I am learning" about relationships in a new way because of discussions among friends and family during the last weeks. Which relationships are irreplacable? Which ones last? And how do they change?
Why do some relationships motivate and inspire you, even when there's been a gap of years between real connection? You just pick-up right where you left off.
Which relationships carry with them so much history that you end-up arguing over past baggage instead of reality? Why are we all so sensitive anyway? (For example, can you imagine that among my three brothers -- who are identical triplets -- one of them feels a little hurt if I somehow don't manage to call him first on his birthday?! I call in alphabetical order by first name now.)
Of course, I include myself in that over-sensitivity. In the last weeks, I've interacted with people from my first 18 years alive, from my first 16 professional years, my first husband (and so far only husband, though now an ex), and my current life. Mostly it is great to see how we all survive things that sometimes in the moment, seemed unsurvivable. And still in some way love and appreciate each other. Maybe that's the lesson.
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