I always thought of myself as an extrovert. I love being with people and at events. Yet, in the last year or so, I’ve realized I also need alone time in the mix of my life. So, when we were sent home back in March due to COVID-19, I thought the telework situation would actually be really great for that introverted side of me. I would thrive! …I was wrong.
After a couple months of working from home I was feeling low. Okay, really low and unmotivated. I was thinking it was the pandemic negativity that was infiltrating my psyche, when actually it was something slightly different—though pandemic-related—that was pulling me down.
I have the opportunity to work with a leadership coach. (Wendy is AH-MAZING! Check her out at https://www.crossroadscoachingandconsulting.com/.) During one of our monthly calls I shared the air of malaise I was experiencing and how that was impacting me as a leader at work. I told her about how I thought working from home would be great because I would have that quiet space for thinking and researching—two things that help me to be at my best.
Wendy knows me so well. She reminded me how much I feed off the energy of others, how much connection drives me. I’m not talking about connecting on a video call or even a phone call, I’m talking about being together and letting conversations roll. Just because I require quiet, doesn’t negate the necessity for in-person interaction.
That got me to thinking about The ViveX and what it is inside of me that wanted to make this event happen. Duh, Case! It’s connection. My favorite thing—whether it’s at a girl’s weekend, a couple’s weekend, or even coffee hour—is hanging together and learning from and about each other.
The ViveX event idea was born out of a place that loves those gatherings. It comes from a place that is curious about others, that thrives on learning new perceptions and ideas, and that desires to know people beyond just the surface details and beyond the party. Those are the ingredients that result in a trusted space and deeper friendships. Those are the components that help me feel alive and ramp me up to take on whatever life is currently tossing—or chucking. I realized, those are also some of the ingredients that help others feel valued and loved.
All the change and uncertainty that came with the pandemic helped me to go deep, to really understand more about myself and what makes me tick. It helped me to be more conscious about how my body and mind were reacting to all the things going on in our world. It helped me to be more intentional with my days and with my conversations.
I love ah-ha moments! Connecting with others was something I was taking for granted. I didn’t realize how impactful it was until I didn’t have it. I could see how positive it was for others which is why I wanted to start The ViveX, but I had blinders on when it came to how people interactions (and lack thereof) were influencing me. There is always joy in junk and the joy here is growth in self-awareness as well as being deliberate about having or creating connection with others.
Happy connecting!