I don’t actually like long travels with missed flights, long layovers and cancellations, but this week was an emotional trip. As the old saying goes when it rains it pours. Without going into too much detail, my world felt like it was collapsing upon me.  One of my kids missed first days of school due to illness, the other didn’t have a school to go to because she was still on a waiting lists for preschools of our choice. Work started ramping up as 3rd and 4th quarters in retail normally do. We are doing more with less but faster. It’s a new tempo. Hurricanes are pummeling our Southern coasts and many friends are displaced at the time. Silver lining is school. It is really interesting but I find myself engaged into more reading and research than I’m advised to. And it’s only week 2! Hopefully curiosity and sensation of unknown will wear off soon. The moral of this long story is this, I survived. I practices some of my creative leadership skills I outlined last week (well only two) and I dusted off some old ones I haven’t exercised in a while.

Commitment – score this week downgraded to 3, I’m meeting standards

Decision to work full time, be a mom, wife and friend and also sign up for master’s degree may be crazy but it is not impossible. The words impossible actually spells IM Possible. I just need some time to figure out a flow and balance am committed to all aspects of my life.

Compassion – score this week downgraded to 3, I’m meeting standards / Nurture – score this week downgraded to 2, I’m making progress

I exercised compassion for my family members and those affected by natural and political disasters. But I failed to nurture myself.

Some of the newly resurfaced milestones on my leadership journey were:

Time Management – 2=Approaching Standards

I struggled.

Humility – 3=Meeting Standards

Amid all personal and professional setback I was able to remain humble and remind myself that hard times have a purpose to teach and that my life is not defined by struggles but by success.

Patience – 3=Meeting Standards

I was very tolerant in an instance when I talked myself out of reacting immediately if at all because I thought that maybe the other person was having a bad week too and they needed to take their anger out. I also realized that when the time comes and this person is more receptive of feedback I will take the opportunity to speak to them and reflect on the said instance and share some ideas on how they might have reached different result have they employed different skills.

Realistic – 3=Meeting Standards

I was able to assess what priorities needed to be addressed first and what needs had to be put on hold.

Resilient 3=Meeting Standards

I employed some mindfulness techniques and came out little stronger then I was last week.

Cheers to next week!