The Buzz

Looking out my front window there two rows of lavender in our garden that in peak summer grow well past my knees, almost as high as my hips. They're like thick purple ribbons flanking our walkway, complemented by a subtle yet audible soundtrack of bees. There are so many bees.

I like to joke that our lavender patch is where the cool bees want to see and be seen, like Bee Coachella or Bee Davos. Burning Bee. 

At the very least, I have always taken comfort in believing our little patch of purple was doing good for the endangered bees, because they need all the help they can get.

But then I read an article this week by Sarah Kliff for the New York Times, about her experience dealing with a colony of honeybees nesting in her attic. Turns out there is a lot about bees I didn't know and, boy, did it sting.

Did you know that Spotify has a bee repelling soundtrack? Or that certain types of honeybees – known as scout bees -- can communicate directions to their colony by dancing, a move called the “waggle dance”?  And that humans are the only other species with this ability? 

The ability to give directions, that is, I'm still working on the waggle dance.

But the real fly in the ointment was learning that honeybees are not actually endangered. That's right, those guys are doing just fine. Apparently, “The fact that honeybees are domesticated and managed negates the possibility of being endangered.” Then came a real buzzkill -- in some cases, the honeybees are actually a threat to other species of native bees. 

It is a relief to know the honeybees are safe, but this new knowledge exposed a crack in the foundation of my everyday thinking. What else was I getting wrong? I consume a lot of information during the average day, as I'm sure do you, leaving my thoughts and even my behaviors flying around in circles.

My question today is this: Are you so busy getting answers, you forgot to ask the question? In other words, have you fallen into a pattern of being told what's best for you, as opposed to asking that of yourself?

Does your behaviour in or outside of the workplace reflect “groupthink”, or are you acting on your own personal set of beliefs and values?

As your coach, we'll start by exploring the questions you have in the areas of your life where you want to focus. What are your values, your priorities, your challenges. It's all about you.

Much like the scout bee, I can help you see the direction and distance to your goal, then it's up to you to get there. Just don't ask me to do the waggle dance, that would bee ridiculous. 

Hot Soup

It's pretty cold here today, with a morning frost and light winds that made 2°C feel like 1°C. I ate broccoli soup for breakfast because a cold smoothie didn't sound appealing, and, well, did I mention it feels like 1°C?

There is a blue index card pinned to a cork board above my desk with a message in my own handwriting that reads: It's not for everyone. Each word is underlined twice, as if to say, “And don't you forget it”.

It's a reminder to myself that what works for one person is not necessarily a prescription for all, and vice versa. 

The world is full of proclaimed experts, some of whom are actually experts. But multiple, differing opinions and recommendations can cloud a person's decision-making process, even when the suggestions are coming from family and friends who say, with perfectly good intentions, what they think is best. 

You may notice that I avoid, as much as possible, doling out any actual advice in this space, even as I myself scroll for it online, seeking out the pros and cons of everything from AI to animal proteins.  

I agree that outside advice and recommendations are a great first step, as long as they are coming from a credible source. But so much advice is given without enough (any?) consideration to a person's individual, unique circumstances. We don't all want the same things. Just look around. 

Whatever stage you're at in your career or personal life, I'm wondering what the next stage for you looks like. Do you decide when it starts, or will it be decided for you? Is it inevitable, or will it take hard work to get there? Is it a temporary stage or long term? What do you want it to look like?

If you haven't yet thought that far ahead, then let's talk, even if just to explore what options might be available. Together, we'll explore what's possible, with only you in mind. 

There might be countless ideas and recommendations to sort through, but kind of like having broccoli soup for breakfast, it's only about what's right for you, it's not for everyone.