We Don't Know What We Don't Know

As a continuous learner, I'm very aware that there's always much, much more to learn.  One of my best ways to learn has been to be in a perpetual state of inquisitiveness.  Since we don't know what we don't know, our best options are curiosity, observing, questioning and connecting.

Timeless Resources

I'm a continuous learner and I love sharing tools, resources and tidbits with others.  Through the years I've learned that just because I know and embrace something, life can get in the way of others seizing these offered opportunities.  It has been such a treat, to have a new colleague enthusiastically use resources I'd long ago provided that had been forgotten by other tenured colleagues.

When we provide ongoing opportunities, we don't always know what the ultimate impact might be.

Keep Asking and Exploring

I've spent my entire career in Houston and have had the good fortune to experience so many diverse treasures in our fabulous region.  And, unlike many of my other non-UH alum friends and colleagues, I've spent quite a bit of time on the UH campus, engaging in various collaborative opportunities.  What I thought I knew and appreciated about Texas' newest Tier One University, was expanded tenfold in the past two days.  A well planned and orchestrated executive women's retreat exposed our largely non-UH alum group, to exciting research, amazing collaborations and world-class facilities.

This experience reminded me that our relationships and knowledge are only growing when we keep asking and exploring.

Fun "To Do"

So often my to do list is filled with things that need to be done.  Since I've started adding fun things to the list, it's not quite as tedious.  Still get to check off the musts, but it's great get to enjoy and check off the wants, too.

A Flat Tire Doesn't Have to Suck the Air Out of Your Day

My day had gone so very well, and I was really looking forward to a small dinner party, in a lovely home, with interesting, accomplished women.  And when the air went suddenly out of my tire, on the way to the party, I chose not to let this suck the air out of an otherwise great day.  Yes, I was disappointed, frustrated and inconvenienced.  Yet, as I've been doing, I chose to put it in perspective and focus on the positives of a negative situation.

Positives:

• I stopped for gas seconds after I drove over whatever obstacle damaged my tire, and discovered the problem.  This was a low speed road hazard incident with no loss of vehicle control or wheel damage, and the car had not yet even exhibited flat tire symptoms.  Had I stopped for gas, as intended, earlier  in the day, the situation would have been far worse.
• It was daylight, in somewhat familiar territory, and my vehicle's roadside assistance was a phone call away.
• The dinner party wasn't at my home.

Lessons reinforced:

• Patience
• Flexibility
• Gratitude
• Some things can't be controlled
• There are so many lovely, skilled people willing to assist us when we acknowledge their talents.

When bad things happen we can choose to be victims or victorious.  Victorious feels a million times better!

Obstacles

We all encounter unexpected things each day that cause us to change course.  Whether we view these obstacles as mere speed bumps, or road closings is up to us.  When we're forced to slow down, we must consciously consider next steps.  Sometimes these pauses render better outcomes than we would have gotten at full speed ahead.  And, even when it's an actual forced detour, we can choose to enjoy the scenery along the way or grumble.  It sometimes takes an obstacle to free us to to take another, often better, path.

Responses to Unfamiliar

It is always interesting to note how others react to the unfamiliar including:

• caution
• acceptance
• waiting to see how others respond
• questioning
• disengaging
• eagerness
• curiosity
• exploring
• leaving
• getting information from the most knowledgeable person present
• stress
• excitement
• nonchalance
• rejection
• endorsement

None of these is right or wrong.  These are simply different ways of processing new things. Regardless of our enthusiasm, it's important for those of us introducing change, to be able to recognize and accommodate various understandable ways of processing the unfamiliar. 

It's Not Just the Words

Consider the difference in each of these differently ordered phrases:

• Good Morning, God!
• Good God, it's morning...
• Good Morning, it's God.
• Good, it's morning, God.
• It's a good morning God!
• Morning God!  It is good!

It's not only the words we use, but how we combine them, our emphasis, intent and meaning.  Praise, disbelief, acceptance, moving forward, expectation and thanks are among the sentiments that can be expressed as we say these same words differently.

When it's important, we need to remember to make certain that the words we've used have been received as intended, rather than any number of other very different ways.