While my home is still in disarray, my House of Shine is firmly rooted in our favorite monthly ritual - High, Low, and Aha.
As many of you know, the eighteenth day of each month is reserved for readers to share high points from the last thirty days. Below is our simple framework:
Highs are the best thing(s) that have happened to you in the last month.
Lows are the worst thing(s) that have happened to you in the month, and
Ahas things you've learned in the last month.
I'll start.
Highs: Finishing a large and time consuming teaching project; soaking in sunshine; an installment of beautiful and handmade "Shine" cards mailed to me by long-time reader, Peggy; and time spent with valued girlfriends.
Lows: A rigorous schedule and unexpected complications with construction has left me unable to make progress on my home.
Ahas: In my pursuit of the Year of Peace, I am reading a book called Mindful Leadership. It introduces the concept of equanimity and describes it as, "the ability to accept what is without resistance". My home is providing the perfect forum for me to exercise equanimity!
Treat yourself to five minutes this Friday, so you can visit us in the Comment Section and tell us about your highs, lows, and ahas since April 18.
Shining off until...
It's disappointing when someone misses the opportunity to Shine.
Yesterday I stopped in a bead store, excited to put finishing touches on a small gift I am sending a young woman who recently won a writing contest.
I entered the specialty shop on Main Street mid-afternoon and was especially excited to see the store empty. It meant the woman behind the counter would have time to share ideas about how I might embellish the antique key I found, imprinted with the word, "Dreams".
Buckets, bins, and hanging strands of beads lined the walls. With such an impressive selection, I was sure the saleswoman would be knowledgeable enough to help select one or two beads that could accompany my decorative key.
And, she might have been knowledgeable, but she wasn't relentlessly passionate.
Three or four times I tried tapping into the woman's knowledge and experience, but each attempt was met with indifference. Not rudeness, just indifference.
The exchange was disappointing, because the woman had the chance to Shine. She had the chance to not only make me feel great about her service and the gift I am giving, but she also had the chance to generate interest... and maybe even cultivate a repeat customer.
Instead, I spent $5.99 on a black leather cord and walked away from a store I'm pretty sure I'll never visit again.
One of the reasons people who Shine stand out is because most people opt never to get out from behind the counter.
Shining off until...
To me, getting "back in the saddle" requires a certain amount of Shine.
It means returning to something you stopped doing for a period of time.
Maybe because of an injury,
or a setback,
or as a way of avoiding future failure.
Whatever the reason, getting back in the saddle means you're smart enough to know what you need and gutsy enough to fight for it.
My niece recently fell off a horse and broke her wrist in multiple places. Two surgeries later and, after a lot of rehab, she will literally have to experience what it means to get back in the saddle.
For others the meaning is figurative.
A student from my last class immediately re-enrolled for the next one. It happened on the heels of a less than stellar performance on his part and more than candid feedback on my part. Kyle kept his eye on the prize, though, and climbed right back in the saddle.
Yesterday Cheryl revisited the ten Shine Principles and asked each of us to think of ways we might focus on Shine Principle #1 - Be Present. I explained that, after eleven weeks, I was finally going to resume taking walks. Nothing makes me feel more present than stopping mid-day to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. It seems I'm also back in the saddle.
How about you? What's going on in your world and what would getting back in the saddle mean for you?
Shining off until...