🧠Weekly Mind Sweep #74 | Curated Conversation | I’m Not A Plumber
May 2023
*Week 74: Curated Conversation; I’m not a plumber
Week 75: Curated Conversation; Intent
Week 76: Mind Your Business; Intent
Week 77: Manage Your Mind; Intent
Week 78: What’s On My Mind; Intent
New to the Weekly MindSweep? Past issues live here.
Let’s sweep the brain…
I'm not a plumber.
My expectation of this long weekend was similar to Walter expecting his dinner. It was going to happen as planned, right on schedule. All the planets aligned in my favor, and well, it's Gemini Season. (AKA - my birthday month)
My husband was off to visit family in Ohio (OH-!), and my twin boys were off to New Hampshire to hike with their dad (byeeeee). So Walter White Boots and I would enjoy FOUR glorious, perfect-weather days, just the two of us. (Bill Withers fan? High-five!)
Friday went just as planned. I spent the afternoon with my CEO in crime, Shannon Giordano.
Yes, wine goes deliciously with a burger and fries. #NotSaladFriends
Then, I spent the evening with my boys at dinner; you betcha - stealing fries from their plates and having deep, meaningful conversations. Topics such as the state of the world, politics, moral dilemmas, and a bit of what my life was like growing up. You know, light dinner conversation.
They are eager to share their perspectives, debate for the reason of considering multiple perspectives, and ultimately wonder how to improve the world. My son Alex would like to start with education and mental health. I mean, he's not wrong.
The similarities of this conversation to Curated Conversation are not lost on me.
Saturday morning was an absolute dream. At this point, I've had the gift of sleeping alone in my bed since Thursday!
An easeful morning started with a walk, just me and my main squeeze (yes, Walter). By 7:30 am, the boys deliver their laundry baskets to the basement, including their sheets. (Oooh, I'll wash mine too!)
The house is empty; I pour a second cup of iced coffee from my local brew Karma Coffee and sit in my cozy chair, feet up, with my latest book. (see below)
Ahhhhhhh
I've found heaven. I have nowhere to be and nothing I *have* to do. This is the BEST. DAY. EVER.
After reading for a bit, I prepare for a blissful shower. Fresh towel, a new razor head (woah, spoiling myself here!), lavender soap, and a little eucalyptus on the walls.
Sniiiiifffffff
The best ideas come in the shower, especially when you allow yourself to be present and in the moment. Feeling the hot water penetrating your head, the smell of the eucalyptus, the softness of the soap, the sound of the water hitting the floor.
Then, the ideas start flowing:
Strip my bed and get them in the washer machine before I leave.
Take Walter to the dog park so he can be reminded that he is not, in fact, a human child having his every whim taken care of. He's a dog who will run and play, get pushed around, and sniff butts to his heart's delight!
Stop at Pet World after so he can pick out some new delicious snacks for himself, AND he gets to go INSIDE the store! What a treat! He'll be so tired after all this excitement that I can come home and get in a few more episodes of my current tv series!
Dreamy.
I dress, gather my bedding, and share the news with Walter. "Hey buddy, I'll be right back. I'm going to start a load of laundry, and then we'll go for a ride!" His eyes widen, his ears perk up, and his head tilts. He thinks, "Did the human just say we are going in the car!!! OMG, IT'S HAPPENING!"
I reach the bottom stair to the basement and round the corner, and to my absolute displeasure, find water.
Nope, not jugs of contained water. Not water flowing silently through the pipes as they usually do. Instead, water came out of the main drain pipe and had the audacity to fall onto the floor. Jerk.
I sigh.
I'm aware:
Logically, that is different from where water is supposed to be.
I'm frustrated; there is a mess.
Also, WHY TODAY?!?
I allow myself the time I need to be mad, have pity for myself, and feel frustration. Then, I take pause. Breathe. Breathe again.
My mind says:
You are not a plumber.
But, what I realize is what IS true:
I have two hands, the ability to see (thanks to glasses), and a mind like an engineer.
So, I do what any entrepreneurial woman would do.
I diagnose the leak, wrap the pipe with a towel and place a bucket under the area. Next, I research how to repair it and add a stop at Lowe’s for a few essentials that I'll need.
It's time to get the regularly scheduled programming back on track! So Walter and I head to the dog park, the pet store, and Lowe's (did you know that hardware stores are dog friendly, too?) Then, finally, we returned home and repaired the pipe. *Disclaimer below
Bonus: some steps took time to "set," so I got extra snuggle time with an exhausted dog and two additional episodes of Firefly Lane in!
Then, the moment of truth.
I'll admit, while I felt confident in my idea, my repair execution, and my ability, this is a "you could have a flood of water on the floor" kind of hesitation. I threw the soaking wet towels that cleaned up the floor earlier into the wash, added the soap pushed "play" on the washer, and crossed my fingers, toes, and legs for no jinxing. I went upstairs and ran water in the sink and bathroom, and hustled down the stairs for a first peek.
So far, so dry! Phew!
Success!
In reflection on my experience, I recognize a few things:
Expectation - I expected how things would be these past few days. While most of my time has far exceeded my expectations, it's a reminder that we don't have
Control - We are not in control of reality. What is happening now is happening. You cannot control or will it to be how you want it to be, primarily when it stems from fear. You can control your
Thoughts- thoughts are not facts. They will come whether you want them to or not (go back one step to control if you need to), But you can choose what you do with them. This is true when we feel safe, which takes daily practice. When we don't feel safe, we can struggle to control our
Emotions - Emotions are a natural part of being a human being. Awareness is the first step to making any meaningful change in our lives. When emotions are in check, you gain more confidence and access to the prefrontal cortex in your brain, where good decisions are made. The ones that remind you that
Yes, you can - You can do hard things. You can write a newsletter for your business; you can make time to manage your marketing. You can hold space to work ON your business.
You can fix that unexpected leaking pipe and get back to having a fantastic day of loving what you have, where you are, and who you're with.
And if you need support getting there…
We can do it together. I can help.
(*Disclaimer: By the time you read this, I will have taken 3 showers, run the dishwasher once, and flushed the toilets several times, and my repair is holding strong! I've also called Jerry Waterman < yep, that's our plumber's name. He'll be out next week to fix things properly.)
Where to find me
EVERY MONDAY: 8 am - Curated Conversation - Zoom
THINK TWICE: Did you miss our Live? I’ve got you; the replay is available inside the Chickbook Creative Community. Are you NOT A MEMBER YET?! Join the group here.
MISS MY VOICE? Check out recent podcast episodes.
What I’m reading
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonni Garmus
All’s fair in love and chemistry. It’s 1960s California and there are certain things that women just don’t do. When scientist Elizabeth Zott finds herself the host of a television cooking show, she kicks off a revolution that does more than just challenge the status quo. You will fall in love with the cast of characters in this debut novel that has already been picked up as an Apple
What I’m listening to:
Re: Thinking with Adam Grant
Brené Brown and Simon Sinek on the leadership skills we need to build
Brené Brown and Simon Sinek are two of the world's most influential thought leaders. They’ve shared their insights on the power of vulnerability and purpose in viral TED talks, hit podcasts, and bestselling books. Adam invites Brené and Simon to a lively discussion about the most important skills for leaders to build -- and the most vital steps for organizations to put people first. Together, they also field audience questions on earning trust, giving upward feedback, and creating better leadership opportunities for the next generation.