I’ve been doing a bit of facilitation and training over the last few months and often found myself feeling not as prepared as I would have liked (a combination of life busy-ness, miscalculation on my part about how long the preparation would take, plus a little procrastination). It is uncomfortable to do something before you’re ‘ready’, so I’ve been thinking a lot about something Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live creator and producer) said in an interview on Alec Baldwin’s Here’s The Thing podcast):
We don’t go on because we’re ready. We go on because it’s 11.30.
Not being ‘ready’ is not a barrier to putting work into the world, and good work at that. In fact, delaying an action until one feels ‘ready’ is a kind of inbuilt defense mechanism to avoid any failure or risk of criticism and negative reaction from others. As Tim Herrera wrote this week in his New York Times Better Living column, ‘it’s never going to be perfect, so just get it done’.
So, with that in mind, I’m trying hard to post this update before I’m ready. Before it completely captures all of the things that I want to share. Before I know exactly what to say. Before I’ve done the deep recollection and reflection on all the things that I’ve done and thought and am grateful for and that I’ve read and listened to over the last 3 months since I last posted.
Three things that are bringing joy or adding value to my life right now…
Not dying my hair
I dyed my hair for the last time in February. Feeling inspired by grombre (discovered via the lovely Jen Frahm who’s rocking her short silver style) I took the opportunity to get a new cut and am letting the old colour grow out and fade away. I have quite substantial (but still patchy) grey coverage and I’m enjoying it way more than I thought I would. I feel more ‘me’. The money, time and hassle saved are also a big bonus.
