Taking on Something New
Surprise, I’m taking on something new! Or maybe not a surprise if you know me well. I’m always taking on something new, or a semblance of something new. This time the new things are impacting my work and my home life, so here’s what I’m taking on and the rundown of what I’m learning through this process
What’s New
The two, biggest new pieces for me are:
- The taking on a new role as a Vistage Chair.
- Welcoming a foreign exchange student into our home
One of these new items would likely be enough new challenge for most families, but we like to go big with our chaos.
My Work With Vistage
What is Vistage? Good question. Vistage is an organization devoted to the development of CEOs and leaders. My role as a Vistage Chair will be to facilitate a monthly CEO peer group meeting, providing them with educational support and facilitation as they meet, problem-solve and encourage one another in what is often a very lonely role as head of their organizations. You can learn more here: www.Vistage.com
My new work role as a partner with Vistage will be an add-on to my current work. This work allows me to back away from the national speaking and do work that keeps me closer to home. My husband’s job has seen an upswing in his need to travel. And while having one parent who travels is one thing, having two that travel is quite another.
After balancing that for the past couple of years, we’ve determined having one of us lessen our travel load is the best move for our family. No fears, I’ll still come speak when invited! However, I’m not actively pursuing business growth in that realm.
Our New Family Member
The other new thing for us is hosting an exchange student for the coming school year. It’s something we’ve talked about off and on for a long time, and with our oldest in high school, we decided it is finally time to make this happen
Our student is from Switzerland and we’ve already learned a lot from our video chats. She’s going to fit in well with our quirky family. Even if she fits in, we know adding a child takes time, energy and work. Thankfully it’s much easier than birthing a child, so yay on that front!
The Questions and Answers
Each of these changes has brought a torrent of questions that I struggle with on a regular basis.
- Is this the right thing to do?
- Is this the right time to do this?
- Have we weighed all the options?
- What happens if it’s a disaster? Or worse, what if I’m terrible at this?
Fear in these times is normal. As the flood of questions come at me, I remind myself:
- There’s never a good time to do this. There’s always a reason to wait.
- All signs point to move forward. These decisions are not decisions determining my destiny. I can always take a step forward and then change my mind. Except for our exchange student, we’re stuck with her, but she’s a sweetheart, so it’ll be good. Worst case, it’s 10 months. Best case, we have a new daughter to be part of the rest of our lives.
- Yes, I’ve weighed the options. Analysis will only take me so far. What are my heart and gut saying about this decision?
- Worst case, this is a disaster. If I fail, I learn something about myself and I try again. It’s not the end of all things and no one is going to die because we decided to do these things.
We’re Not Alone
As I run through the answers to my questions, I remind myself I am my own worst critic. All of my family, friends, and colleagues are cheering us on, just as we would cheer them on. I’m not alone in my questions and fear.
You are not alone in your questions and fears. You know the questions you need to ask. You know how to answer those questions. And, we’re here for you in case you don’t believe yourself.
Go take on something new this week! You’ve got this.
Keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant, Sarah Gibson, helps organizations leverage the power of communication, teamwork, and diversity to improve engagement and transform teams. To buy her book or inquire about her speaking programs, please visit www.sarahjgibson.com.
