Sometimes, I have trouble being human. Which is ironic for obvious reasons. I get caught up in working, doing, and creating, that I forget to feel, praise, and love.
As your standard overachiever, I've always been a "working machine." My brain is sharp. I have good discipline and motivation. I find what I do so incredibly fulfilling.
But, I've neglected vulnerability. Emotional intelligence. My ability to support others. As a girl, I've also felt this additional pressue to "prove myself."
I started to change my view after a lunch I had in February with some of the coolest women ever. It was with Adrienne Lahens, Whitney Moore, and Talin Koutnouyan from Influential. We talked about so many things, but I think my biggest takeaway was that it's important to also be a human.
I really have underestimated the value of my social and emotional skills. The world is run by people, not working machines (yet). People feel emotions, they love attention and kindness. It's a superpower to learn how to work with different people.
Oddly enough, these months in quarantine have given me an opportunity to improve that. I've worked on new teams. Re-connected with old friends. And had a lot of time to research human relations (yes, I somehow make everything nerdy).
I feel humbled and appreciative to be surrounded by people who push me to grow, and inspire me to become better. Again, thanks to Adrienne, Whitney, and Talin for igniting a spark in me đ.
|