Comedy, Knobs & Next
Are you ready for next? What will you need? At the end of last year, I started preparing for next. An exciting volunteer opportunity presented itself and I knew that if it were to happen mid-year, I’d need to be ready. Part of getting ready had to do with comedy and knobs. Are you curious? I’ll explain and also share some preparing for next strategies.
The opportunity I mentioned, has come to fruition. The exciting news is starting July first, I’ll be joining the ICD board as President-Elect. This amazing association is the premier resource on chronic disorganization.
ICD provides education, research, and strategies to benefit people challenged by chronic disorganization. Adding this volunteer position to my current commitments required that I get ready both physically and emotionally.
4 Tips to Prepare for Next
1. Bring on the Comedy – Doing something we’ve never done requires some bravery and creativity. As I’ve never been president of an association before, I wanted to exercise my bravery muscles to prepare myself. I did this by signing up for a Comedy Improv class. I’ve never done Improv. This new experience has been incredibly liberating. I’ve discovered that it’s all about letting go, trusting others, and allowing the filter to be silent. There’s been immense joy in facing the fear, turning up the bravery dial, unleashing creativity, and delighting in pure fun.
2. Bring on the Knobs – The knobs I’m referring to are for my office space. For a gift several years back, my husband promised to design and build a beautifully organized office area in my colors. For a variety of reasons, we hadn’t moved forward on the project. However, I recognized now was the time to get it done. Preparing my physical space so that I could be fully ready for next, became a top priority. Selecting the knobs indicates readiness. The knobs symbolize those finishing touches that will allow me to open the doors to next.
3. Bring on the Blog – Writing a weekly blog post is one of my regular commitments, which takes time. To get ready for the additional responsibilities as President-Elect, I thought that it would be useful to plan out and work on a years worth of posts. This included creating a blog calendar, selecting monthly topics, preparing all of the “Ask the Expert” interviews, and finalizing the details for the Giveaways and collaborative posts. Doing the advance planning and writing has helped me clarify the bigger picture, and pave the way for next.
4. Bring on the “It” – Today is my Dad’s birthday. He passed away a little over a year ago and I miss him so much. He was an amazing person, a wonderful role model, and one of my biggest encouragers. I always went to him for advice. When I was deciding if I should accept this leadership role for ICD, I spoke with many people. My Dad wasn’t there this time to weigh in. When my husband and I talked, he said that he knew what my Dad would have said if he were here. I knew too. He would have said to me, “Go for it!” He knew the importance of stretching, growing, and stepping outside of your comfort zone. His words of confidence and exuberance accompany me in the pursuit of next.
Whether you decide to try something new to practice stretching, organize your environment to allow the physical space to support your needs, do some planning and project completion, or determine your call to action, I wish you all the best as you prepare and move forward. Come join the conversation and share your thoughts. How will you prepare for next?
