I bleed blue. I come from a long line of connections to Penn State University.
I went to school there, I married a Penn Stater, both my kids went to PSU, my in-laws studied there including my father donning the Nittany Lion Mascot. Even after many years later (not sharing the actual number since my graduation date 😊) I am still learning from my Alma Mater.
I recently viewed this video "All That We Are" and it shook me to the core. It reminded me that we all have something. We’ve been judged, we’ve judged others. Our biases, whether conscious or unconscious, stood in the way of seeing things and people clearly. You don’t really know what someone has experienced because you haven’t walked in their shoes and lived their life. You don’t have to be a Penn State fan. You are a fan of something though.
We easily say to give people “the benefit of the doubt” but do we?
We need to be intentional because what we do matters. We may never truly know the ripple effect our actions and words may have on others. Numerous times, I have had training participants reconnect with me years later after attending a course sharing that they thought of me when using a technique, or that they practiced a certain skill and it worked! As a facilitator, the hardest thing for me is knowing that when the day ends, I have no control over what happens next. The participants of the session can choose to use / not use the lessons learned. My hope though is I’ve inspired my audience or that I’ve had an impact. Every day, I am reminded that what I do matters. I live my life with intention. I don’t want to wait until someday when I retire to then go on a mission or insert myself to my community or join a board where I can “make a difference.” I can make a difference now by the way that I choose to interact with others and to not put people into “boxes.” Check yourself. Explore your biases. Love all. Help others to live their best life and bring out the best in themselves. What have you done lately to matter? Seek to understand and don’t assume that you know someone’s true story. Ask them. Support them. Be the kind of person / leader / team member that you admire.
Warm regards,
Barbara Ann Sharon, Owner of the Training Edge