Sunday Funday

For the past three months, I have been interviewing about two people a week to get an evaluation of my strengths and weaknesses. I started with family members and close friends and now have branched out to colleagues, coworkers, managers, neighbors, new friends, friends’ husbands + wives.

I ask the following questions:
1) What are my strengths?
2) What are my weaknesses?
3) What can you always count on me for?
4) What can you never count on me for?
5) If I was a flavor of ice cream what would I be?
6) If I was on a cover of a magazine, what would it be?
7) If you could control my life, what would you have me do?

I initially thought I could only interview friends who knew me really well, but the truth is, generally speaking, people see/judge each other within the first 30 seconds upon meeting. They already have opinions about you. Those are interesting to pick up on too — how I am perceived right off the bat…and how transparent I am.

The feedback are not too surprising. I think we are all aware of our strengths and weaknesses. The surprise comes when realizing how much others see me as my strengths or weaknesses. It becomes clear how transparent I am to others. Having my strengths confirmed by others is empowering. Having my weaknesses pointed out to me is an awesome kick in the ass — it’s one thing to know I negatively impact myself with my weaknesses, but a new level of effort goes into changing my behaviors when realizing I have negatively impacted the people I care about.

Not only are these interviews helpful for my self development, they also shine light on what each of my interviewees value. What they see as strengths and weaknesses is a direct reflection of their values. Now, I have a better understanding where their morals, values and expectations stand.

One of the many overlapping feedback has been for question #7. “If you could control my life, what would you have me do?” I get feedback like:

- Relax. Chill the fuck out.
- Realize you are capable of anything
- Slow down. Don’t do so much. Don’t pack your day so tightly.
- Enjoy the journey, don’t focus so much on the destination
- Take time off for yourself
- Be more selfish
- Focus on the few things you want to do and don’t spread yourself out too thin
- Reserve one day a week for nothing. Have no plans. Just enjoy what comes to you.

So, I did just that this past Sunday. I had NO PLANS. WHAaaaT???!! Yes, absolutely no plans. No obligations. No phone calls to make. No emails to send. No Etsy customers to please. No meetings. No bags to make. No coffee meet-ups. No catching up with time. No nothing.

………It was the most fulfilling day I had in a super long time. I don’t remember the last time I was so relaxed and at peace with myself and the world. I was in great company with positive spirited, interesting, endearing people…cooking + eating wholesome food, downing mimosas, mushroom hunting, feeling small in nature, breathing fresh air, losing myself in music, deepening my spirituality…a day sprinkled with laughs and silly giggles.