Unpacking Life
Skyline Road, Portland, OR, August 8, 2020. ©Leslie Cumming
“It’s OK to be brave and afraid at the same time. ”
In working to help others pivot their marketing and content strategies, the last months, I'm reminded that communication is critical.
What’s crystal clear is that I’m in the camp of choosing to move forward into a new normal vs. hoping we’ll go back to the status quo.
We’re in an endurance race—one where we’re not yet sure where the finish line is or when we’ll reach it. As hard as this is to wrap my head around some days, I believe it presents an opportunity to make changes.
Below are some of the lessons I'm learning in helping clients unpack and build new business and life strategies – and how to communicate them. I hope that you find them helpful. Take what works for you and leave what doesn't.
Breathe. Take Breaks. Then breathe some more. I can't state this enough. The going is hard. It's going to remain hard. I've vacillated from sprint mode to crazy creative spurts, utter exhaustion, and then to states of ambiguous grief to being on track for a couple of days and then repeating the cycle. It’s part of grief. Individual and collective.
Live MY Values. On the whole, I’m pretty easy going (stubborn) but go with the flow kind of person. I find myself asking for Grace a couple of times a day while also being present for those I care about and being honest and transparent without blowing up the boat (so to speak). Some days I fail – big time. Others, not so much.
I firmly believe we’ll get through this together. That if we invest in each other and self, we’ll come through. But it’s going to get messy sometimes.
Listen. I have small communities with specific focuses. I listen – at large and in my home town. I have boundaries on social platforms of what's OK or not OK. We're all trying to do our best, and we don't know each other's stories. I’m a firm believer that kindness goes a long way in making sure my environment retains a sense of community and collective responsibility.
Explore creativity. Work to make small moments of time and space to get curious about something other than what we’re used to doing. It's been hard, but I’m re-learning how to knit in a new style. This small act has slowed me down and given me time and space to think about my friends and family, work, my personal life, my health, and my skill set. It's given me the energy and time to evaluate if what I’ve built the last 18-months is sustainable or if I need to adjust how I work and do business. For the record --- I need to adjust.
Ask for Help. We're in this together. Don't be afraid to ask for help or accept offers of support if it will help you - personally or professionally.
Communicate over Time.
Get Outside. If you follow me on Instagram (@leslielynccumming) you’ll know I’m love trail running, cycling, open water swimming and all things outdoors. It not only helps my sanity and stress level but I solve a lot of problems among the tress, on the road or gliding through the water. I do have to monitor this, especially as my pain levels can get really high (8+) as I get closer to my denervations but also to not use the time as a numbing agent to check out - of my head or body. It’s tempting, but not helpful. So I’ve learned.
Tell Stories. Get quiet. Learn how to write. It’s a craft. Learn what constitutes a good story. Know that good stories (communication) happen one word - one sentence, one day, one week, one month, and then year after year after year – at a time. What we say. How we say them and when we same them make a difference. TEll stories from the heart not from a place of hustle culture and the need to build a six-figure business in 30-days, an email in someone’s inbox every day, or the cookie-cutter sales funnel model. '
Words matter. Stories matter. Say and build them with care. Words have the power to heal, hurt, express love, passion, joy, laughter, sadness - all of the human condition. When you put words to paper do so from the heart and from a place of grace. From the thought that each word and action is crafting you (me, us) into a new life.
Xoxo,
L
