Spectrum Connection: April 2021
From the desk of Dave Smalley: Gut Feeling
Melanie wrote about BYOG, “bring your own guts”, a few editions ago. I like that. It takes guts to face down tough times or a tough opponent. Guts can certainly be another word for courage I guess, which is different than a gut feeling.
I get gut feelings about things regularly, bet you do as well. I rely on my gut for a lot of things. Lately, there is a lot more gut for me to rely on! But my fatness is not the point.
Gut feelings. People often talk about their emotions and a connection to their heart, but for me, it is definitely more of a feeling in my stomach. I wonder if it is common to you and/or to others? When one feels love, doesn’t your stomach do flip flops? When one feels fear, or disappointment, doesn’t one’s stomach drop?
When something goes wrong, I think a common phrase one may say is “it was like a punch in the gut”. Yep, people say that. Our tummies are, at least mine is, often a precursor as to what is just around the corner. I get this feeling in my gut before something significantly changes. It alerts me to potential danger.
For the past year I have felt a gnawing in my gut. That feeling of dread, the unknown, perhaps even borderline fear. You know, the feeling like when you are walking in the dark and are not sure what…or who…might be lurking in the dark?
Lately there have been some lights shining to lessen that feeling, and illuminate the path. Those beacons of light come from friends, associates, and clients faces that have been missing in our lives for too long. They make it not so dark, and much less scary. They help turn that gnawing feeling into butterflies, and that is a much better feeling for sure. To each of you, thank you for being my light.
As we go forward, what is my gut telling me now? Candidly, it is still pretty topsy-turvy, and I am just not sure. There have been some gut punches, but we stood up and took them and we are still standing. I get some butterflies (the good gut) when we are out doing what we do, fulfilling our identity. I still get plenty of the scared gut, like the one you get in a visit to a haunted house, and that feeling tells me to be wary, not to let my guard down. Push forward, ever forward. Drag everything and everyone with me if I have to.
I think we have proven it to ourselves that we can take it. Whatever it is. I have a sneaking suspicion and a gut feeling, that we just may be alright. That together, we can shine our lights and take away the darkness. We just need to do what we do, stick together.
To each and every one of you, stand tall and strong. Good things happen to good people, and you are good people.
With love and respect,
Dave Smalley
From the desk of Melanie Smalley.
Maybe you have seen the sign in my office that reads “it’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice”. I really appreciate this quote and it’s a good gently reminder to also treat people like people and to serve by the Golden Rule.
I respect that we can’t all be nice, all of the time (certainly don’t let someone walk all over you), but I also believe that if we strive to always do the right thing, we will be much further ahead than others. Afterall, you do get more flies with honey than vinegar. What’s even more important is that when you are nice, you can be more successful and that allows others to be more successful in return.
As we continue to share our new Corporate Pillars, I encourage you to read and re-read the Pillars. Start to get to know each pillar, one at a time, so that you can not only “live” them but share them with others. When you truly believe in something or someone, including oneself, it is easy to immolate what you stand for and why, and I promise that people will take notice. Just as people take notice when you are merely trying to be important.
Cheers,
Mel
WICKED WHISK
Spring is in the Air and the Wicked Whisk Team has been busy with many local events! Weddings are our biggest event source currently & we love doing them! Corporate events are slowly coming back and some of our amazing corporate clients brought us to their offices and homes in March for fun celebrations. We see leads and events blossoming just like the flowers and the Wicked Whisk Team is looking forward to a fun filled Spring with our team and the clients we love creating years of memories for! Happy Spring!