While trying to figure out how to keep you engaged in my blog this month, (after all it is June – and graduations, dads, sunny, warm days and the pull of summer vacations are distracting us all), I came across Bill Gates Summer Reading list.
You can see which books Gates is recommending here. He has included some very interesting reads which can help expand your mind and your outlook.
Also included – free of charge – is great entertainment. If you don’t care about the books, at least click on the link to see the puppies.
Those adorable puppies helped me to formulate my thoughts for this piece. One never knows where one will find inspiration!
What Costume Are You Wearing?
Most of us go through our days putting on the ‘costume’ for the various roles in our lives. We are daughter, son, mom, dad, sister, brother, leader, worker, volunteer, coach, home manager, advocate for something we believe in, menu planner. The list continues and changes often.
Each hour of the day, and for some, several times in an hour, you dig deep to connect to a part of your personality to react accordingly to the situation at hand.
- A manager stopping at your desk.
- A co-worker asking you to join them for drinks after dinner.
- A client demanding an explanation for a delay in the project.
- A call from a friend – or a relative.
- An email from your child’s teacher.
Whatever, the situation – you put on the appropriate costume and demeanor to respond.
For some, this act of changing roles is utterly exhausting.
But it doesn’t have to be.
The first step to not allowing others to decide which costume you are wearing is by being comfortable in the clothes you are in. Knowing who you are – to yourself and to others. And being confident in your truth. You may still have to adapt – but you get to choose how you will react.
Your Core Values
When you are in alignment with your core values and understanding of what is most important to you the task of adaption becomes easier. Even natural.
No matter who is in front of you or how uncomfortable the situation may be, if you are comfortable with your interior who – it won’t matter what hat you are wearing on your head.
You will be able to respond accordingly – with your truth, thoughtfulness, and kindness.
Working with others – at the office and in all other social situations – requires an ebb and flow of understanding, trust, and connection. And the ability for you to change your costume, while remaining true to oneself.
So be you – know who you are and choose how you will react. Sometimes we need a coach or mentor to help us find those truths. An objective view sometimes helps us to put our own view in perspective.
When I watched the video again – admittedly to watch the puppies – I saw two of the books Gates are about men who chose – and wore – their own costume no matter what the situation.
I hope you do too!
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