For me, the month of November signals that the end of another year and the beginning
of many choices. Then there are those Indian summer days calling us back reminding
us of summer warmth and days that don’t seem to end. Mother Nature provides such
honesty with no guarantee you will like or even tolerate what she delivers; first source of
many choices.
November may have been a month that marks changes that are not just found in the fall
colors. Why do I say that?
Well the trees change colors and the annuals in our flower gardens are beginning to
wilt. As you notice these changes are you thinking about yard work, sports playoff
challenges or the pleasant images of children cutting pumpkins and protecting their
innocence? In our world today there are so many choices coming to us from so many
sources.
Perhaps you are a golfer still making tee times while you marvel at Tiger Woods player
team captain role on the US Presidents Cup Team? Maybe as a biker or hiker you
could be assessing how weather is influencing your favorite trail anticipating great
scenes. When you add the Rocky Mountain backdrop framed by open areas filled with
prairie dogs, I believe it becomes even harder to fully recognize and appreciate the
many choices we have. That being said, I challenge myself to appreciate my
surroundings while in the moment, as I hopefully stay aware of symbols and signs that
indicate change is coming.
Change is ever present, but I seem to handle any change when I practice my response
to change. Because I practice, I can predict change based on cycles, schedules and
even the routine behaviors of others. For example, November 2019 had impeachment
hearings, Washington Nationals World Series win, and the cyber antics of a world
power challenging our right to vote freely. Given all this swirling energy we still have
choices that we control. Without the influence of social media and technology I would
not have as many choices because I would not have known what choices were
available.
I believe our exposure to information is a duality of awareness to rewarding and abusive
or harassing behavior. In the past, lack of information (data) reduced our awareness to
rewarding and abusive behavior. Without access to the stories we do not know about
the struggle and the corresponding abuses. Not knowing does not make it any less
damaging, and today we are not innocent because we have no excuses based on
ignorance based on lacking information, stories or data.
With the many choices we have considered where your data comes from also evaluate
who is telling the story. To often the information is influenced by many sources. So, as
you consider the simplicity and directness of Nature’s changes slow down your review
of those changes created by mankind. For example, Nature’s changes are simple and
direct and my response choices are simply selected; if it rains, I can get wet or dress to
stay dry, simple. In our world today we have many choices that will influence the
course of our future. Take a moment, or maybe even two moments, to consider your
choices and how your choices will influence the choices for others.
What are your choosing? Let’s go down the list. There are lights that get strung. Are
you right after Halloween or Thanksgiving? Some households are drafting lighting
patterns and looking for any excuse to put their holiday lights up, and since summer
ends and winter may begin any day, we should be putting the lawn mower away and
start looking for the ice scraper for the car (I always forget that). November is a month
with very unpredictable weather patterns and many choices to consider. Watch the
weather; Mother Nature and mankind.
Staying aware of weather reports will go far to pick a day for hanging lights and maybe
even winterizing your lawn and gardens. As you finish hanging lights, winterizing your
garden or getting the snow blower serviced remember these are actions that represent
the end of summer and starting something new.
At this point, I will remind you that having fun will smooth out change, any change, while
providing confidence allowing us to pause and enjoy change. Even change that is not
so pleasant. When you are faced with change that is not pleasant and challenges you
to the core, it is your response and emotional control that defines how much you will
learn in that moment of change. Controlling emotion, is not easy during moments of
duress but bringing your best during these moments is what defines how much you
learn to start the next moment of change. If fear creeps up in these moments, breathe
and then take in as many details as you can. These two actions will slow down the
change so you may manage it and your emotions. No guarantee that you will deliver
results you desire, but you will diminish the influence of the negative. Poz On!
It should be obvious that November is the start of our major holiday seasons. Do you
pick one, or maybe you participate in all? Do you merge from Christmas and Hanukkah
or do you play the Thanksgiving stuffing to the black Friday economic drain into an
endless house party blitzing past Christmas going straight to New Year’s Eve?
Disruptors, as you play ending one moment to start another remember to welcome the
changes as you end one experience and start another.
Given that we all have choices because of change hopefully November was your
prompt to making plans for the public changes associated with our holiday season.
Even if you do not participate in any holiday celebration its energy and imagery is not a
challenge to avoid. I ask that you put away any negative thoughts, discover the positive
that remains, and move forward.
Provide insights and truths that represent you first and move you forward in support of
the greatness in others.