Helping Others: It's a family thing!

After Christmas dinner last week, my sisters were talking with my Dad about some of the character traits we all inherited from him. I was cleaning up and packaging up the leftovers so I was listening as they talked about specific examples where we are all so similar (and in some cases very different).

This conversation has stuck with me over the last week because it was an ah ha moment for me. I've always known the similarity of my career path and my Dad's career path. He has been a preacher for over 50 years. His days are never planned (except for religious holidays and Sundays), people are his life and calling and he is often seen as a counselor to many. I've been in HR for 23 years. My days are planned and I do work a traditional workweek unlike my Dad. My daily plan could blow up (and often does) when help is needed. People are my life and I am often seen as a counselor.

What I realized on Christmas day was that my sisters chose a very similar path to my Dad and I as they have navigated their careers and we all have one thing in common. They are educators turned small business owners where they found a need their community had and is helping to fulfill it. They went outside of that small town community 2 short years ago (while still running a small business in that town) and launched a nationwide business because a need for help was there. What do we all have in common, the core piece of each of us is Helping Others. We are not happy, feeling successful or thriving in our own lives if we are not helping others.

I struggle every year with new years resolutions. Typically, if I want to change something I try to create a new habit anytime during the year. (It is forever engrained in my brain from college the theory that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Maybe we can talk about the pros and cons of that theory another day.) I often feel like people are setting themselves up for failure with some of their resolutions or they are way too broad.

This year as I've been seeing everyone posting about the new year and some of the things they want to accomplish. I am seeing it less as a resolution and more as self-accountability. This approach feels much more comfortable to me as I'm a huge believer that you should be better tomorrow than you are today. I often encourage my team and others to look back at what you have accomplished over 3 months, 9 months, 2 years to get the confidence to tackle a new challenge or change. So why can't I find something to strive toward outside of my normal goals provided by my boss?

I've been thinking about this conversation between my sisters and my Dad a lot. I even told myself on Monday, why do you keep thinking about this, what does it mean, what are you trying to tell me. This morning at about 5am. . . it clicked! It really helped me land on my resolution this year. Since I am self-admitting that my need for success is to be able to help, my goal this year is more proactive and intentional helping. This already fits in very nicely with some of the things my team has on our plate this year to help the team members and managers we support. However, I really can take it to another level. Normally I would wait until someone asked for my opinion on something even if I saw a need for a change. I have often waited until friends have asked for help with resumes, interviewing, helping their children navigate entering the working world, recommendations about products I use, my go to meals or specialty party foods, where you can find the best brunch in X city and even planning that trip to Nashville, Italy, New Orleans etc.

In the end, while I am no expert in everything. I can use the knowledge I have to help others be better in 2023. No matter if they don't want to ask for the help or don't know they need it. I will do my best to recognize the need and help.

What do you think? Do you set resolutions with the intent of completing them? What are you holding yourself accountable to this year?