Hello.  Thank you for the loooooong time off during the month of August.  I did the most amazing thing:  not open my computer for a full week!

As of Monday, France is back into high gear.  It’s the “rentrée,” the re-entry into professional and academic responsibilities.  Our local bakeries are open again.  The weekly marché is back into full swing.  It is like a new beginning.

Welcome 2019-2020!

Trust

How will I enter this new year?  I am trusting in “five minutes.”

Yesterday, I led a training in a vibrant startup learning to manage its growth.  Tensions rise between people in the field and those in support staff at the office; each interprets “urgent” in a different manner.  When the desired response is not timely, tempers rise…and things get said that cannot be retracted.  Bruised relationships require even more time (and energy AND humility) to mend!

When you and I insist on “my timing” (a.k.a. I am available now, so NOW is THE time), our attitude (bullheadedness) can lead to results which are opposite of our intentions.

It sounds counter-intuitive, but the right time to fix a relationship problem is rarely when that issue surfaces.  It’s later, when everyone is calm, when emotions no longer cloud our vision.

I thought about his during a hike this summer.  I was walking along the crest and a crest and a cloud came up the mountain and engulfed the path.  Insisting on NOW is like walking along that narrow trail between steep cliffs in the fog.

If a mountain lion is nipping at my rear, I’ll move forward in the blindness.  Otherwise, I’ll trust in the time to step back.  In less than five minutes, the clouds had cleared.

Our emotions can calm in minutes too, opening the way to fruitful exchange.  Getting a drink of water, going to the bathroom, or looking at your photos on the phone only take a few minutes, gives your brain the time it needs to be able to think again. These simple actions can make a huge difference.

Gratitude

This summer, my mother shared with me the boxes labeled “Denise” that she had stored for years.  “Remember…!” “Oh!” and laughter filled the air as we walked down memory lane.  I sure have come a long way baby.  Here I am in junior high…those very awkward years.

I am grateful to my parents for having believed in my potential when it was not yet apparent to many…not even to myself.

In whom will you believe today?  In your family? …and at work?!

Inspiration

I am inspired by the team at GoTandem who provide extreme sport experiences to people with handicaps.   What courage for those who give and take the rides!  Their joy was contagious.  Thanks.

Fun

No, I did not engage in extreme sports myself.  I did cuddle up with a novel, something I have not done in a long time.  Much of my usual reading is non-fiction and articles on the Internet.

My choice of lecture:  Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday.  It’s engaging, got me laughing AND thinking.

Salmon in Yemen?  THAT’s why it’s a novel!

It is good to be back.  Wishing you a great week.

A bientôt (next week), Denise

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