A Oasis in the Desert- In2Risk21

Anyone else just been tired the past several months? Has your cup run to the bottom, and you’ve felt as if you might have nothing else to pour out? Those moments are exhausting, but they are one of the most revealing moments in a person’s life. And I’ve been there, especially in the last few months, and what I have realized is that:

Sometimes you must crawl through a desert to find a beautiful view.

The journey there is perilous, riddled with challenges which seem insurmountable, but also filled with lessons in endurance. The reality is, it’s a tough journey through that desert which leaves you feeling emotionally dry, and physically tired. Not just the type of tired in need of rest, but the type of tired in need of true peace and something to fill your soul. It’s in those exhausted moments your emotional fuel begins to sputter to a stop as you’ve zoomed past the “E” sign. It’s “that” kind of tired. The pure, worn-out, dog-tired moments where you just feel as if you can’t move a step further. But somehow, you find the grit within in you to crawl forward, even in those times.?

As someone who is literally fueled by the emotional energy of other people, I’ve found myself feeling much pretty zapped and worn out in the past year. The river I strive to be in my life, at times, turned into a reservoir, just out of pure survival mode. While I am not as much of an extrovert as I used to be, the gap I’ve felt in the lack of in-person interactions on a regular basis has been draining on me. I must admit it, people, and the energy I feel from them, are like a drug to me in my life, and there is a need, and almost addiction I have to their energy, as it just lights up my soul.

And yes, I’ve had the proverbial “Zoom fatigue,” I’ve shied away from turning on my camera lately, felt a little lost, and just tired of the meeting hopping that fills our daily lives. When it comes to Zoom fatigue, scholars are mixed in their opinions. They either state is completely real, or totally debunk the theory. Most agree, it’s a “real” thing, and that it stems from the need for us to focus more intently on conversations to absorb information. Within what is our normal social settings, we can focus intently, but we are paying attention to different things, a person’s clothing, their facial expressions, their physical body movements, and we also are filled with the energy of individuals around us in face-to-face conversations, as well as the energy of the room we are surrounded with. That “room” within Zoom or other video-conferencing platforms, is blank energy. ?We demonstrate “paying attention” to other people in our in-person interactions much differently than via video. Over the past several months, I have found myself craving that in-person interaction, the ability to really read people’s faces, feel their energy, and just be filled with the presence of others. In truth, I missed their light, as the light of others fills me up. Especially the light I feel when around my CPCU family.

But, my crawl through that desert was finally rewarded with a beautiful view of friends and colleagues I had not seen in person in over 2 years. And in the end, I realized the desert crawl was worth every painstaking and tiring moment, because I learned so many things about others and myself in the journey. And from here on out, I will work diligently to find joy (those oases) in my journey. ?

I had the privilege to attend the In2Risk CPCU Conference in Orlando, Florida recently. Now, I will say, I have interacted with my CPCU crew throughout these past two years MANY times virtually, but there was just something magnetic and exciting about sitting next to them, talking in person with them, laughing uncontrollably with them. It was truly magic. And of course, it was fitting that the In2Risk conference was held at a place where magic has been the light of so many children’s lives for the past 50 years- Disney.

500+ insurance professionals from all over the world joined together to celebrate what inspires us, and the CPCU Society was able to offer a virtual option for attendees who could not make it in person. And I have to say, it’s my CPCU family who day in and day out have inspired me through their innovation, their talent, and their ability to be authentic, genuine people all the while working in the most noble profession in the world. Authenticity, as our keynote speaker, Carla Harris said in her opening thoughts, “is a distinct competitive advantage.” In other words, Carla was encouraging us all to “BE WHO WE ARE,” and not “submerge what is uniquely us.” I must admit, I have struggled with that at times because who I really am, can be a little daunting and overwhelming to other people, especially in this risk-averse industry I have planted my feet in for over 17 years now. But challenge accepted Carla!

What I am extremely grateful for is that I get the opportunity to be who I really am with the CPCU Society, and not some facsimile of myself that is copied, and pressed and perfect. Because nobody can be me the way I can be me. The CPCU conference this year confirmed that fact for me, and the connections and energy of my fellow CPCU’s brought that to the forefront. The desert walk didn’t seem so bad down there in the hot Florida sun. In fact, it was a reminder to me again, that all those dusty, desert times in our life are met with an oasis of the comfort. That feeling of being “home” with my CPCU family was truly magical. What I realized though was that CPCU family has been there with me the whole time I was walking, even when I thought I was walking alone. And many of them have felt the same way I did.?

At the CPCU conference, our Executive Director, Spenser Villwock, challenged us all with these three things:

• How can I be better?
• What and where do my passions lie?
• What inspires me?

That set the tone for the entire conference, where I attempted to spend my time figuring those things out, but throughout the conference the entire CPCU crew were then treated to pearls of intentional wisdom like the following:

The skills most c-level execs are worried about have nothing to do with technical capabilities. They have everything to do with resilience, and an ability to communicate.

• Talent is going to leave. What we should care about is what they will say about US when they leave? Are we, as an industry, sending a better person into the world?
• Life is a mashup. Everything else is based on the heartbeat we always return to. OUR role is to help others find that heartbeat.
• Listening and hearing are two very different things.
• To bring others on our journey, we must be master storytellers, who share great stories about transformation.
• The first 90 days are the MOST important days within any new role or journey. Be intentional about them.
• We must be intentional about building trust to be a powerful/impactful leader.

And we must create clarity even when we cannot see.

That last insight really stuck with me, and it resonated because of what Spenser had said at the beginning of the conference. And I really asked myself when I heard that message:

“How can I be better, what and where do my passions lie, and what inspires me?”

What inspires me is the ability of leaders to ACCOMPLISH creating clarity for others, even in the desert, even in the hard times. Those leaders who walk right beside their people but cast the vision in a way that others can SEE the future, despite the dust storm in front of them. ?I am challenging myself to be THAT kind of leader in whatever role I serve to bring things into focus for others in a way that they can see past the desert to the view that is SO captivating they can’t take their eyes off of it. I want others to take up this challenge with me!

The view is really worth the journey, even though our feet get tired, and our souls get worn out! And I am so thankful my CPCU family helped me to see at In2Risk this year the wondrous life ahead of me, and how I can better help others to see that oasis, even when we're crawling through the desert of life together.

Thanks to my CPCU family for being there. You quenched my soul and filled me with fire to keep moving! We've got another great year ahead of us as we continue to BE the most innovative and INSPIRATIONAL group of insurance professionals on the planet!