#TheWeekly is an almost weekly review post that models weekly reflection. To be someone worth following, you need to reflect and learn. You also need to be thankful for what you have. #TheWeekly aims to do these things.
What did I do well this week? I spent Wednesday this week visiting my executive coach in Nashville. John helped me identify the things that fill my tank at work. They are building relationships with customers and partners, building relationships with Hoffer Plastics team members (development), and any activity associated with our proprietary product line for spouted pouches. Of course, there are many other aspects of my job outside this, but this practice helped me identify my work “bucket-fillers.” As I have written before, no body else is going to fill your bucket, so you need to be sure of what fills it. Burnout, after all, is a real thing.
What did I learn this week? Speaking of burnout, John and I spent time talking about burnout during our time together. Signs of burnout for me range from getting short with the kids after work –when they are just being kids!–to getting annoyed with team members for asking legitimate questions. When I start behaving in a hurried, annoyed, and even cynical state, I need to do a self-check to see if the problem is really me. Perhaps, my tank needs to be refilled. Obviously, burnout goes much deeper than this. I share, however, because I suspect these are the early signs to the all-encompassing “I am going to quit my job” kind. Drastic action might seem all-of-the-sudden, but usually there are many signposts along the way.
What am I going to do with what I learned? As strange as this might sound, I have been practicing what Dallas Willard calls, “ruthlessly eliminating hurry from (my) life.” I don’t believe in random occurrences –I know, I am strange –so it was amazing finding myself at Ramsey Solutions Wednesday morning in time to hear John Ortberg, Dallas Willard’s friend, talk exactly about this practice! For me, this is as simple as stopping what I am doing. Sitting. Thinking. Praying. And then resuming. You can’t react your way to sustained positive outcomes. That can only be done through intentional action.
What is something positive I can share about the world? There is so much good, especially everything I experienced Wednesday, as well as some fun conversations I had on Thursday. But, what comes to mind with this question is the weeping my heart is doing for friends that have been thrown a curve-ball this week that is the number one fear of every parent. Their little angel is sick, very sick. Please pray for Lydia.
What is a confession or embarrassing admission? I have been too willing to have the extra bite of food, and extra sip of wine lately. This isn’t a major problem, but I don’t want gluttony to become one. Self-control muscles need some work…
What did I notice, or love, or find funny about Parenthood? We have had some struggles with Ben this week discipline wise. Given what I wrote above, I am not going to make that big of a deal about this. It is just to say that parenting is a full-contact sport.
What do I appreciate about Sarah? Sarah texted me a little while ago about the research she had done on parenting a five-year-old that is having “control” issues. She is the ultimate “student of the game” and there is no one I would rather parent with.
Anything to add to #Baldinbusiness subscribers? Please hug your loved ones this week. Please pray for Lydia. Please pray that God works one more miracle.
#Theweekly is taking a one week hiatus as my schedule most likely won’t allow for this post next week. It will return on October 25.