I have a Facebook friend, Jenn. I call her a Facebook friend because I have not seen her in person in years. She was once my student and although I have followed her life by hearing about her through friends and her mother, I have not seen her in person in many years. I love being able to be a witness to her life, which looks quite exciting from the outside. It seems that she travels quite a bit with work, and then separately from work, she travels for pleasure. It is always so interesting to find out where she is.
This past week I had a very busy week and was on Facebook only once. It happened that Jenn had posted that day. Apparently, she had planned a surprise trip for her partner’s birthday. They were going to London, England and then to Ireland. She posted a picture of them in England and said how thrilled she was that she had been able to keep the trip a secret! Someone must have made a comment to her about how she managed to do it and her next post said, “I’m always half-packed”!
This idea of ‘half-packed’ got me to thinking, of course. In the case of Jenn, I believe this to be true. She does so much travelling that I am sure that she has a system in place for minimizing the time she needs to fill her suitcase and get to the airport. But the idea of ‘half-packed’ for Jenn would likely mean more than just the physical act of having items ready. I suspect that this is a mind-set that Jenn has. I am guessing that she is also ‘half-packed’ in her mind. This means that when an opportunity presents itself for travel, her mind is already making the adjustment to being away on an adventure. What an incredible way to be!
I was wondering what I am half-packed for? I am not necessarily half-packed for a trip and although I am really improving on the adventure side of things, I’m not sure that I can commit to being ‘half-packed’. I am however, ‘half-packed’ for some other things. I am certainly ‘half-packed’ to help any of my family or friends when they need me. I am definitely ‘half-packed’ to dance with the dance group I belong to. Whenever I get an invitation to join them at a performance, I have a very quick ‘yes’ ready and I can adjust my schedule in what feels like no time.
I am ‘half-packed’ to entertain overnight guests at our house. Since we have so many friends and relatives from ‘away’, I have learned how to do this with minimum stress and lots of positive anticipation. I am always ‘half-packed’ to serve chocolate chip cookies. I can’t remember the last time I was caught short, without the necessary ingredients. I also know that I am ‘half-packed’ to have a sympathetic ear to those who need it and I can confidently say that I am ‘half-packed’ to work hard on any given day.
While I have been able to think of many great things for which I am ‘half-packed’, it has crossed my mind that I can sometimes also be ‘half-packed’ in a less positive way. Sometimes I find myself being ‘half-packed’ for saying no too quickly. My mind can be half way to saying no before I really consider the invitation. I can be ‘half-packed’ to live too safe a life. I can be ‘half-packed’ to think that menial little jobs should take precedent over an unexpected invitation. It is so comfortable for me to have a routine that I often opt for what is very familiar – I am more than ‘half-packed’ for this!
Some people can be ‘half-packed’ for more even more serious things. Some seem to always be ‘half-packed’ for a fight. It takes very little for them to find fault with others. Others are ‘half-packed’ to fail. They have a mindset telling them failure is likely and this may prevent them from ever even filling the second half of their suitcase – so sure are they that failure is inevitable.
Others can be ‘half-packed’ to be critical. No matter what idea is presented, they can find a flaw with it and they quickly share their thoughts, often with later regret. Some are ‘half-packed’ to find excuses for why they should not change, even when the change might be positive.
We are all packed for something. Everyone we meet is carrying around some ‘half-packed’ suitcases. The trick is to pack only the suitcases that take you on the journeys you want to be on. I can’t imagine Jenn ever half-packing a suitcase of small mindedness and boring. I love that her suitcase is half full of open-mindedness, sharing and adventure!
This week, take some time to think about what you are ‘half-packed’ for; positive and negative. There might be some suitcases that you would prefer to unpack and even put away.
My inquiry for you this week is, “What am I ‘half-packed’ for?”
I provide coaching, group coaching, workshop creation and facilitation. Contact me for all your or your organization’s coaching needs.
This past week I had a very busy week and was on Facebook only once. It happened that Jenn had posted that day. Apparently, she had planned a surprise trip for her partner’s birthday. They were going to London, England and then to Ireland. She posted a picture of them in England and said how thrilled she was that she had been able to keep the trip a secret! Someone must have made a comment to her about how she managed to do it and her next post said, “I’m always half-packed”!
This idea of ‘half-packed’ got me to thinking, of course. In the case of Jenn, I believe this to be true. She does so much travelling that I am sure that she has a system in place for minimizing the time she needs to fill her suitcase and get to the airport. But the idea of ‘half-packed’ for Jenn would likely mean more than just the physical act of having items ready. I suspect that this is a mind-set that Jenn has. I am guessing that she is also ‘half-packed’ in her mind. This means that when an opportunity presents itself for travel, her mind is already making the adjustment to being away on an adventure. What an incredible way to be!
I was wondering what I am half-packed for? I am not necessarily half-packed for a trip and although I am really improving on the adventure side of things, I’m not sure that I can commit to being ‘half-packed’. I am however, ‘half-packed’ for some other things. I am certainly ‘half-packed’ to help any of my family or friends when they need me. I am definitely ‘half-packed’ to dance with the dance group I belong to. Whenever I get an invitation to join them at a performance, I have a very quick ‘yes’ ready and I can adjust my schedule in what feels like no time.
I am ‘half-packed’ to entertain overnight guests at our house. Since we have so many friends and relatives from ‘away’, I have learned how to do this with minimum stress and lots of positive anticipation. I am always ‘half-packed’ to serve chocolate chip cookies. I can’t remember the last time I was caught short, without the necessary ingredients. I also know that I am ‘half-packed’ to have a sympathetic ear to those who need it and I can confidently say that I am ‘half-packed’ to work hard on any given day.
While I have been able to think of many great things for which I am ‘half-packed’, it has crossed my mind that I can sometimes also be ‘half-packed’ in a less positive way. Sometimes I find myself being ‘half-packed’ for saying no too quickly. My mind can be half way to saying no before I really consider the invitation. I can be ‘half-packed’ to live too safe a life. I can be ‘half-packed’ to think that menial little jobs should take precedent over an unexpected invitation. It is so comfortable for me to have a routine that I often opt for what is very familiar – I am more than ‘half-packed’ for this!
Some people can be ‘half-packed’ for more even more serious things. Some seem to always be ‘half-packed’ for a fight. It takes very little for them to find fault with others. Others are ‘half-packed’ to fail. They have a mindset telling them failure is likely and this may prevent them from ever even filling the second half of their suitcase – so sure are they that failure is inevitable.
Others can be ‘half-packed’ to be critical. No matter what idea is presented, they can find a flaw with it and they quickly share their thoughts, often with later regret. Some are ‘half-packed’ to find excuses for why they should not change, even when the change might be positive.
We are all packed for something. Everyone we meet is carrying around some ‘half-packed’ suitcases. The trick is to pack only the suitcases that take you on the journeys you want to be on. I can’t imagine Jenn ever half-packing a suitcase of small mindedness and boring. I love that her suitcase is half full of open-mindedness, sharing and adventure!
This week, take some time to think about what you are ‘half-packed’ for; positive and negative. There might be some suitcases that you would prefer to unpack and even put away.
My inquiry for you this week is, “What am I ‘half-packed’ for?”
I provide coaching, group coaching, workshop creation and facilitation. Contact me for all your or your organization’s coaching needs.
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