I’ve started calling more meetings. I know, right? Who gets excited about meetings?
But here’s the deal, when I left my job in non-profit marketing & communications management in June the last thing I wanted to have was more meetings.
The meetings I attended left me feeling emotionally drained, unfocused & scattered. I would often walk out of a meeting with an overwhelming sense that I was lacking clarity & direction. I carried the emotional energy of the meetings with me as I went about my work, often for days or weeks. It was painful, my soul suffered as did my physical wellbeing.
Today, I’m applying that same principle conversely. I’m having more meetings that lead toward positive energy in my life & a focusing of my time & efforts. I’m meeting with mentors, inspirations & like-minded individuals. I’m meeting with old friends & new friends. I’m attempting to be as fully present as I can be, listening without an agenda & sharing my challenges, opportunities and struggles openly & honestly.
We’ve been meeting for coffee, meals or lengthy library work sessions. What I’m finding is that when I spend time with people who are aspirational, positive, creative & genuinely love life and their role & lot in it, I’m inspired and can carry that energy into my days & weeks.
Nearby? Great - let’s get coffee, I’ll buy. Far away? Let’s embrace technology & creative scheduling to ‘meet’ or talk via Skype or Hangouts. I’m letting my heart lead me to the conversations I have and the things we discuss; the ideas that shape me and the projects that I become involved in.
I’m learning a lot as I go on this journey toward more effective, productive, useful, meaningful work and these conversations I am having are playing a huge role in that.
Have time? Great! No time? I understand. Lives get full.
I used to have a lot of excuses. Today, I know that the only one I need only to please & live up to the expectations of myself.
So, I may be asking you to meet (and I may not). But by having read this, you'll have an idea or an understanding of why (or why not).
Maybe reading this has prompted you to ask yourselves about your attitude about meetings. How do they work in your life?
I'm finding upon reflection, like many things, I was just doing it wrong.
