I Found Out I’m Strong
Thanks to a friend who hadn’t scratched the code on the Strengths Finder book, I now know my top strengths.
- Strategic
People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues. - Learner
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them. - Ideation
People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. - Intellection
People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions. - Relator
People who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.
I Found Out I’m Strong
Thanks to a friend who hadn’t scratched the code on the Strengths Finder book, I now know my top strengths.
- Strategic
People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues. - Learner
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them. - Ideation
People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. - Intellection
People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions. - Relator
People who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.
Blurred
In a mindless incident I put my contacts in the opposite eyes this morning.
In an unaware episode it didn’t occur to me until Brandon called and said that he had accidentally bumped my contacts and he might have put the “R” cap on the “L” contact.
In a moment of clarity I realized that my eyes were wearing the wrong prescription and no amount of squinting, practicing an eye chart, or adjusting the brightness on my computer screen would fix my sight.
In an unlikely teaching moment I realized that one tiny piece of information changed my entire perspective. My solution for my vision was short sighted.
I can tell you this: I see the world through me. I see everything as it relates to my own blurry vision. I wonder where the blind spots are in my relationships…
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.” Philo of Alexandria
Blurred
In a mindless incident I put my contacts in the opposite eyes this morning.
In an unaware episode it didn’t occur to me until Brandon called and said that he had accidentally bumped my contacts and he might have put the “R” cap on the “L” contact.
In a moment of clarity I realized that my eyes were wearing the wrong prescription and no amount of squinting, practicing an eye chart, or adjusting the brightness on my computer screen would fix my sight.
In an unlikely teaching moment I realized that one tiny piece of information changed my entire perspective. My solution for my vision was short sighted.
I can tell you this: I see the world through me. I see everything as it relates to my own blurry vision. I wonder where the blind spots are in my relationships…
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.” Philo of Alexandria
Happily Ever After
It was a nice day for a wedding. Tiered cake decorated to match bridesmaid dresses, sweet mystery punch that you pour with a ladle, a gazebo trimmed with greens for pictures to last a lifetime, and a glowing bride in a dress that she loved- check, check, check and check.
During the ceremony, the pastor talked about “4 C’s” that every (healthy) marriage thrives on: communication, caress, compromise, and Christ.
As the 3rd ‘C’ was announced to an audience of mostly married people, I wondered, how does this translate from culture to culture. What about the women in Africa carrying water back and forth from the well to their kitchen- do they talk to their husbands about compromise?
There are things that we say and do that help us belong to a culture. I grew up idolizing marriage and pretending I was one of my Barbie dolls who eternally walked on tippy toes and had a wardrobe of neon trend setting clothes. Someday I would meet plastic haired perfect Ken.
I met real haired Brandon. Planning the wedding was traumatic. It didn’t take me long to realize that society and I had different ideas of what a wedding should be. I lived in dissidence for the 9 month wedding planning process and no amount of fairy dust would turn me into the princess I once thought I would love.
What happens when cultural norms and personal traits collide?
Have we Amercianized marriage to the point of no return? What are the “4 C’s” for a person in Russia, in China, in Zambia, in other parts of the world? Is all marriage created equal?
Happily Ever After
It was a nice day for a wedding. Tiered cake decorated to match bridesmaid dresses, sweet mystery punch that you pour with a ladle, a gazebo trimmed with greens for pictures to last a lifetime, and a glowing bride in a dress that she loved- check, check, check and check.
During the ceremony, the pastor talked about “4 C’s” that every (healthy) marriage thrives on: communication, caress, compromise, and Christ.
As the 3rd ‘C’ was announced to an audience of mostly married people, I wondered, how does this translate from culture to culture. What about the women in Africa carrying water back and forth from the well to their kitchen- do they talk to their husbands about compromise?
There are things that we say and do that help us belong to a culture. I grew up idolizing marriage and pretending I was one of my Barbie dolls who eternally walked on tippy toes and had a wardrobe of neon trend setting clothes. Someday I would meet plastic haired perfect Ken.
I met real haired Brandon. Planning the wedding was traumatic. It didn’t take me long to realize that society and I had different ideas of what a wedding should be. I lived in dissidence for the 9 month wedding planning process and no amount of fairy dust would turn me into the princess I once thought I would love.
What happens when cultural norms and personal traits collide?
Have we Amercianized marriage to the point of no return? What are the “4 C’s” for a person in Russia, in China, in Zambia, in other parts of the world? Is all marriage created equal?
I Love My People
Saturday was marked as day 1 in our 5th home in 6 years. From condo in OH to house in OH to apartment in IL to another apartment in IL…. to another apartment in IL. With this many moves, I think my issues are becoming obvious to the exhausted friends and family, who all know how heavy our couch is.
In a surprising twist, I’m not going to write about my ‘rolling stone gathers no moss’ issue- I’ll save that for later.
What struck me on Saturday was friends. As we organized, boxed, lifted, drove, parked, unpacked and placed our life into a new space, I was moved (pun intended). We had friends that stepped into our mess.
For one of the first times since we’ve been in IL- I realized: we have people.
I love my people.
I Love My People
Saturday was marked as day 1 in our 5th home in 6 years. From condo in OH to house in OH to apartment in IL to another apartment in IL…. to another apartment in IL. With this many moves, I think my issues are becoming obvious to the exhausted friends and family, who all know how heavy our couch is.
In a surprising twist, I’m not going to write about my ‘rolling stone gathers no moss’ issue- I’ll save that for later.
What struck me on Saturday was friends. As we organized, boxed, lifted, drove, parked, unpacked and placed our life into a new space, I was moved (pun intended). We had friends that stepped into our mess.
For one of the first times since we’ve been in IL- I realized: we have people.
I love my people.
Cold Turkey
I drove home with a mind bursting like an over-sized belly pushing out between shirt buttons on Thanksgiving. No music. No phone calls. Just me and thoughts spilling out of my ears. It’s easy to devour introspective-feel-sorry-for-myself-thoughts but it’s better to take a healthy serving of reality. I decided that I’m going cold turkey with stress. It’s not really working out for me anymore.
5 truisms about my stress:
- I have to get to a place where overwhelmed doesn’t threaten me, everyday.
- I can get through anything if I know it’s only a period of time.
- Ironically, saying ‘I’m stressed’ doesn’t help with the stress.
- Good friends are good.
- There are no excuses to loose my sense of humor. Don’t stop laughing.