Reflections: 365 in the Rearview Mirror

The countdown clocks continue to tick, tick, tick as we collectively try to survive what for many has been the worst year of our lives. Like many of you, I can't wait to see January 1st, 2021 on the calendar, come what may. Today, however, I'm celebrating another countdown of sorts, the end and also the beginning of another orbit around the sun. It's been my habit for many years to mark the occasion of my birth by reflecting upon the year and making note of what I've learned about myself and the world around me. Some insights surprise me in their freshness while others amuse me in their antiquity... lessons I learned long ago but somehow forgot - or rather, lost sight of - along life's unpredictable journey. Here are this year's highlights:

1. The ability to clearly express my thoughts and feelings is my greatest talent, the freedom to do so is my greatest treasure. I am my happiest surrounded by people who go to great lengths to be understood and who celebrate the opportunity for civil albeit impassioned discourse. We can think about personal brands until we're blue in the face but it's moot if we're not able to articulate our thoughts and emotions.
2. I am at my best when I remember that there is still much I can learn. When I slip into a know-it-all mindset, my personality changes. I am less effective, less happy, and probably less likable. A skill I have deliberately sharpened this past year is asking for help. When we ask for help, we give others social proof that it's okay for them to do the same. If my personal brand is going to remain relevant, I must remain as eager to learn and grow as my four-year-old self was on the first day of school, as terrifying as that sometimes feels.
3. I can't fix crazy. And by crazy, I mean people who behave in a deranged, uncivilized, unprofessional, or overtly aggressive way. I am not talking about a medical diagnosis, okay? You've heard the phrase "not my circus, not my monkey" right? That's what I'm talking about! This is a lesson the Universe keeps sending me... a lesson I learn, forget, and learn again. I'm not an overly religious person but I do believe in a higher power, an entity I call God, or G-d as my father's people would write. For many years I believed that God sent me "crazy" so I might one day learn how to deal with unbalanced bosses or volatile volunteers without going a bit cuckoo for cocoa puffs myself. A few years ago, I decided that God wouldn't stop putting "crazy" on my path until I learned to identify it, do a 180, and run in the opposite direction. When we get rid of the people that hold us back, we make room for someone who will lift us up, and isn't that the heart of what personal branding is all about?

Thank you for allowing me to share my birthday reflections with you; I would love nothing more than to hear yours when the time comes to celebrate you.