As February comes to an end, I'd like to share a valentine with you. MANY years ago when I was in grade school, we were asked to make a valentine for each of our classmates. My Mom helped me make a bunch, similar to the one pictured here. No idea why this stuck with me (ha) so many years later, but it did get me thinking again about choice.
This topic is likely on my mind as recently I learned of a situation where a person chose to share personal information that should have been kept in confidence. It may have been a mistake, it may have not. But either way it was a broken promise, a betrayal. So what does that mean? It means choices need to be made on how to respond, how to address, how to move forward. And it is also a good reminder of the importance of building skills to handle situations like this.
What we teach in our workshops address real life issues like this.
For example, on the topic of betrayal, we teach why it is important to understand what it is... a broken promise, either spoken (out loud) or unspoken (assumed). And that when (not if) we get betrayed, it is important to know we have two choices, two paths to take. Get bitter or get better. We also teach how getting better includes clearing emotions about the betrayal, in addition to choosing what next steps need to happen. And perhaps what boundaries may need to be looked at, which is a topic from our Women Moving Forward® workshop.
Another topic we teach in our workshops that can be applied to a breech of confidence, is the linguistic domain concept of breakdown. In our Managing Corporate Change© workshop we teach how to use breakdown (defined as "a transparent interruption") to thrive through change. In Advanced Women Moving Forward® we go even deeper into the concepts of breakdown, intention and how to use the breakdown to create.
One last example relating to this topic is part of both our Enabling Purpose Through Relationship© and Advanced Women Moving Forward® workshops - the importance and power of purpose.
Specifically identifying ones purpose, learning skills to live a more purposeful life, and understanding when we are on/off purpose. And when (not if) we are off purpose in our choices, we can then choose to do better next time.
It is is estimated that an adult makes about 35,000 decisions each day! So what we choose and understanding how those choices impact ourselves and others is critical. Yes, our choices have consequences.
So what will you chews today?
