1 year older, 1 year wiser…

It’s my birthday.

Which means I’m now officially old enough to:

• pause before reacting

• buy sensible shoes

• know meetings need snacks

• realize “per my last email” is rarely about the email 😅

• and understand that most leadership problems are actually conversation problems

The funny thing?

Being old enough to know these things doesn’t mean I always do them.

I still get annoyed.
I still have moments where I want to say the thing.
I still catch myself making assumptions or slipping into reaction mode.

Because emotional intelligence isn’t about becoming some perfectly calm, enlightened human.

It’s about practicing.

Practicing noticing.
Practicing pausing.
Practicing shifting from reaction to intention.

Practicing staying in conversations when emotions are strong instead of avoiding them or blowing them up.

And honestly, I think that clarity is one of the gifts of getting older.

Not perfection.
Not certainty.

Just a growing willingness to catch ourselves a little faster…
to stay in the dance a little longer…
and choose differently.

…to know that we will step on each other’s toes, and that we both can learn new moves that make the dance more enjoyable.  

So here’s to another year. 🥂

To knowing with greater certainty that life isn’t certain.
People aren’t perfect.
Neither are we.

And maybe that imperfect dance with ourselves and each other was the point all along.

Here’s to a new year… and some new moves.

Looking forward to dancing with you.

💜Stacey