Enough: Belonging And Knowing

In second grade, as I struggled to transition from printing to cursive writing, the girl in the desk across from mine, moved through the lesson with effortless grace. I wondered how she achieved fountain pen mastery scoring a perfect penmanship grade.

With all the gumption a six-year old can muster, I studied and replicated her technique and watched my grades improve. All was paradise until third grade with a new teacher and different view on writing perfection.  I became a penmanship chameleon adapting my style to ensure my efforts yielded the highest reward a 3rd grader could achieve. Getting my paper displayed on the hall bulletin board with thumb tack in the upper left corner, for all to view, meant I had arrived.

As I marched by my gloriously displayed "Palmer Perfect" paper waving in the hall for all my classmates to see, my glory days were numbered. Who knew this finely acquired skill would one day be replaced by finger swipes across a mobile touchscreen device. 

For those of parochial school vintage or those curious about what you may have missed, I give you:
The Palmer Method

Belonging
In high school, I worked feverishly to keep up with my intellectually gifted classmates. I thought my class ranking would be my ticket to knowing I mattered. Curiously, to me, my ranking never came up, nor did my classmates discuss theirs. I was baffled that academic achievement and subject mastery, though important, appeared to be second to other life priorities. 

Near the top of our class, my dear friend, Suedy, at the close of each school day would stand at her locker quickly dashing off her homework, heading home without a single book. Though I was envious of her genius gifts, the thing I remember most was her absolute joy in being present for life every day. In the years following, Sue went on to great academic and career success picking up a top ivy league law degree and having her pick of offers from the best companies and firms. Through all her public acclaim, she stayed true to the spirit of embracing the day and those around her. She welcomed all, wrote her heart out in her chosen field and helped others know they belonged. My absent friend, taken too soon, reminds me daily to always do what matters most.

Knowing
As I write this post I think of the difference between what I know and what I don't know. Knowing matters and achievement in a chosen field is important. How will we ever learn "what we don't know we don't know?" The best way I've found is to stay open to what comes my way. When I'm open to possibilities and curiously poke my head into unknown corners, amazing people and opportunities appear in person and online leading to the next right thing.

Get What You Need
While you are staying open to what may come your way, deciding how to grasp the concept of tackling those things you don't know you don't know, here is a bit of Keith and Mick to help you to get what you need.

...with a special shoutout to the irrepressible Brenda Coffee who knows she is enough and belongs.

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Career Reinvention and Social Media is Joyce Sullivan's reflections, experience and advice on adapting and thriving in today's online and offline world.

At SocMediaFin, my passion is to create highly customized reinvention programs that take your traditional skills and experience and reintroduce you to the online world.

Let me know what you're thinking and how I may be helpful
email: [email protected]