The Visit Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
I’ve had several visitors lately, and I noticed something different about myself. I wasn’t nearly as focused on being a constant source of entertainment.
In the past, I could make myself a little crazy planning everything and trying to make sure everyone was having a good time. We’ve actually had visitors tell us afterward that we wore them out because we did too much. For our last visitor, I’m sure we probably seemed a little boring, and I didn't mind.
I still care about being a good host, but I’m getting much better at not reading into every mood and deciding it means I need to fix something. I may not even be interpreting the other person correctly and yet I could still end up reacting as though I know exactly what they’re thinking.
Caring Without Giving It All Your Energy
A friend said something this week that I was relieved to hear. She cares so much about what’s happening in the world and has spent a lot of time staying informed and speaking up about the things she believes in, but she’s been questioning how much of her time and energy she wants to spend focused on the fight, especially if it means she isn’t fully present for her life here.
It reminded me of a presentation I gave for Democrats Abroad a while back, based on a session Shirzad Chamine did for Positive Intelligence coaches about navigating challenging times. There were a few ideas from that presentation that feel especially relevant right now.
