Out of Sight, Out of Mind...

Once again, several months have passed since my last blog entry... not because of lack of activity or events in my life, in fact perhaps the opposite. So many things have been going on and stopping to reflect or relax seems to be wasted time and effort. But that's not the way we should regard times of reflection and relaxation. These are not only opportunities to unwind but also to refresh. Refresh our body, mind and spirit.

Most of my life has been spent rushing. I'm definitely a Type A personality type. Rushing from one class to another, from one club meeting to another, from one show to another, from one meeting to another, from one project to another, from one day to another. And as I approach 37, I sometimes feel like I'm rushing to 40.

As someone who craves completion, who gets a small thrill from checking off a To-Do list item, who finds her value from a project completed and feels important when her day is crammed full of meetings, obligations and events... is there a better way to connect with my internal Type B tendencies and let them out for air? I feel that they're holding on for dear life, so small and typically outweighed and disregarded.

Currently my Type A has "free reign" during the work week and I'm not sure I can do much about that; call it a hazard of the job, if you will. But my Type B has been coming out to play more often on the weekends. I love "slam/click" weekends; get home Friday, slam the door and click the lock, and don't come out again until Monday.

Now we haven't had one of those in several months because there are always fun things to do and/or places to go with family and friends, not to mention the 20+ miles of bike riding as part of our training regime. And I haven't complained once, because our busy weekends recharge me for another week's wild ride.

Sigh... maybe I will never learn how to truly LET GO and just BE without DOING...

Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself.....

Paraphrased from Franklin D. Roosevelt's address (made in 1932), its meaning never really resonated with me... until now.

My department currently waits to learn our future, determined after hundreds of hours spent extensively studying our existing resources and effectiveness, as well as our future needs to ensure optimal business success.

And while we wait, the unconfirmed and seemingly-limitless questions run rampant through one's head....

• So what is the "right" number of people needed in our department?

• How will our jobs change? What will our new jobs even look like?

• Do we have the "right" people in the job? If there are changes to job function and needed skills (and I dare say we'd be foolish not to expect that), do we have people willing and able to change to match?

• What do we each need to do -- mentally, emotionally, spiritually -- to approach this as owners (captains of our own destiny) versus victims of circumstance?

• If the size of our department shrinks (again, I dare say we'd be foolish not to expect that), where are the "extras" supposed to go, when every other department is experiencing the "right sizing" change?

Any experiences and words of wisdom are welcome! I'm all ears... and eyes... and a question-filled brain...