GarthBox

An email is easily read as rude.

A gift is received with the person wondering what the real reason behind it is.

A meeting invite is certainly laced with another’s agenda.

A project KO is more about another task on the to-do list than an inspirational opportunity to create something meaningful.

Of course, none of this is true when we’re face to face.

Phone is better than an email. A Teams call is better than the phone. And hand-delivering a gift even with some distance between you and the door is better than having the internet take care of the delivery.

When possible, make the work feel as in person as possible. It’ll resonate more.

Stay Positive & Virtual High-Five

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The bird seed will run out.

Your gas will run out.

Creative flow will run out.

Your inbox space will run out.

Help from another will run out.

Then what? Are you ready to refill or pivot?

It’s always better to have what you know you’ll need before you need it or at least the mental preparedness to pivot when something runs out.

No better time than now to check that you do.

Stay Positive & Backup

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A little set back isn’t much of a problem on it’s own. It’s little. It’s a small hump. You’ll drive over it and onward.

It’s the series of little set backs that become the problem.

When you cut a corner or skip getting confirmation or go with an old and used – I don’t know – lawn mower, you’re not just signing up for an impending little set back; you’re signing up for that set back to join the others.

There’s no preventing little set backs altogether, but there is the option to manage the quantity of them.

Stay Positive & Tread Carefully

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Before you’re about to lean into a meaty project or tough conversation, take a deep full breath.

Before any panick or worry takes over, take a deep full breath.

Before you’re about to get news you’re unsure about, take a deep full breath.

Before you hit submit on your social post, take a deep full breath.

A deep full breath is the pause we all need; it’s the action that centers us and either adds energy to move forward or offers us the second to pull back before a mistake is made.

No need for an app or a friend to always be by your side (though they are both helpful).

Stay Positive & Start With The Breath

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You can go on and on about all the reasons you’re at where you’re at with your work and not further along.

You can spend 10 minutes convincing people why the rest of your presentation is important before you start it.

You can belabor caveating that the work isn’t final or polished yet.

Or, you know, you can get right into it; get comfortable with being vulnerable; trusting your audience; wowing with what you do have.

It’s all a work in progress anyway.

“Here. I made this.” goes a much longer way than paragraphs of upfront, caveats and a prologue.

Stay Positive & Short & Sweet

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Hearing those words usually defines a barrier or disconnect.

What was intended wasn’t received.

The narrative is being told differently than we hoped for.

It’s usually the result of closed-mindedness.

Someone didn’t have the guts or care to get diverse feedback on the platform, people or way of doing business before it was shared.

The solution isn’t more spin; it’s restarting in an effort to build something more meaningful; something that makes it clear you/the business/the brand cares.

Stay Positive & Lead Past It

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In asking others for help, one can’t expect them to start, to build the foundation, to set the stage.

That work is on us.

But when we do it; when we invest the time and energy in setting others up to help us, it’s ridiculous how much more help, ideas, thoughts and care we get.

Then again it makes sense.

It’s easier to care more when we can tell how much it matters to someone.

Stay Positive & What Goes Around…

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