Growth is Hard & Kind of Sucks Until it Doesn’t

This Week’s Highlights:

Core Article: Growth is Hard: How To Live Into The Challenging Questions

Cool Stuff: If you’re a research geek like me – check out the latest in Consumer Buying Trends.

AI Info & Resources: What is an AI hallucination? And should we stop them?

Growth is Hard: How To Live Into The Challenging Questions

In this week’s eNewsletter, I want to delve into some mindset exploration with one of my top 10 all-time favorite quotes that was given to me by a dear friend when I was going through some challenging times in my life:
“Be patient towards all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will find them gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters To A Young Poet (His book offers timeless wisdom and guidance, highlighting self-discovery, patience, and a profound appreciation for the complexities of life.)

During some of the most challenging chapters of my life—from my marriage ending to coming out of the closet in my 30s to being laid off in my 40s to being in recovery in my early 50s, and my father dying in 73 from Alzheimer’s—this quote was always my refuge, my place to find solace.

It helped me let go of the relentless questions of why, why me, now what, why now, and more. If felt safe. I would say to myself, “ok, I got this; I don’t need to know the answers now. I will let go of wanting the answers. I just need to take it one day at a time, and I will eventually live into the answers, whatever they are.”

This was really hard. If I hadn’t asked for help from my executive coach, therapist, and friends, I’m not sure how I would have navigated through these times. Their support was crucial in helping me see that sometimes, the most profound growth comes from living with the questions rather than rushing toward an answer.

It taught me:

The Power of Patience in Growth:
Yikes, this one was hard cuz it’s not about waiting. It’s more about being open to growth, change, and understanding the path that life chooses for me (and for you), not the pace that I chose for myself. All those moments of not knowing were filled with the potential for a deeper insight into who I am and what I truly value. Now, that’s some serious growth stuff.
Embracing Vulnerability Through Support:
Asking for help (which was so hard and still is sometimes) was a testament to strength, not a sign of weakness. By embracing vulnerability and accepting support, I was able to move through my struggles with more courage and insight, learning that grief or burdens shared are always halved.
Living Into The Questions:
When you start to live into the questions, it means embracing the uncertainties of life. It teaches that not every question has an immediate answer, and that’s okay. This acceptance has opened me up to experiences and understandings that I might have otherwise shut out in my search for quick answers.

This leads me to ask you:

What questions have you struggled with because of change and want to know the answers to?
Are they about your career, finances, health, or relationships?
How were you able to get through it?
What did you learn about yourself in the process?

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this. It’s about getting support and supporting each other in embracing the big and small questions in life, the mysteries that might unfold, and the journey that is this crazy thing called life.

So, if you’re struggling with something in your life right now, just know you’re not alone. My hands are always at your back, and I’m here for you.

Also know how much I appreciate you for always being here with me each week. Thank you!

Paragraph I’m Pondering:

“Don’t be too quick to draw conclusions from what happens to you; simply let it happen. Otherwise, it will be too easy for you to look with blame… at your past, which naturally has a share with everything that now meets you. Embrace your solitude and love it. Endure the pain it causes, and try to sing out with it.” ~ Letters To A Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke

Powerful Affirmations to Inspire:

“I trust the process of life; all I need is always taken care of, wonderfully and perfectly.” (Echoing the trust in divine timing and often discussed by Wayne Dyer)

Book Review:

The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin

Cool Stuff:

If you’re a research geek like me – you will love these reports. The only caveat is it’s an optin and a fair trade for your email.
– The latest in Consumer Buying Trends behavior
– Global Social Media Trends Report
I wrote about TikTok a few weeks ago. The latest news is that Biden signed a bill to ban it if it doesn’t find a new owner. TikTok is suing the US government, challenging the First Amendment, and it’s an interesting twist. (Note that this is an article from the NY Times, so it might not be accessible without a paid subscription.)
Taylor Swift’s all about shattering records – On launch day, Taylor Swift’s album “The Tortured Poets Department” shattered records by getting over 300 million streams on Spotify, becoming the first album ever to surpass 200 million streams on the platform in a single day. (More on Taylor Swift and building amazing communities here.)

AI Info & Resources:

Want a tool to create your own personal assistant? Check out Get Emma (Nope, not my puppy. This is an Ai. 🙂
What is an AI hallucination? And should we stop them?
How did a little-known pharma company become one of the biggest names in healthcare and is using OpenAi to transform its operations?

Weekly Photos:

Sometimes, life and my business move at a snail’s pace. (And I couldn’t resist sharing another snail I found on my walk this week.) Hence, when I want to pick up the pace, I enroll in something to help me achieve more – so this year, it’s Mel Robbin’s Launch Program.
There’s me and Emma gearing up for the day with my manifesto inspiring me from the back.
There’s Emma watching Mel Robbins kick off the Launch Program. Emma always loves to jump on my lap when I’m on a Zoom call.
Hail in May? Whaaat? Yep, you can see the proof on the sidewalk. Our poor roses didn’t know what happened.
Another animal sighting this week – wild turkeys. They sure are kind of weird looking up close. And yes, they fly, albeit a bit awkward.
Emma is doing her best to show off her “I’m so cute pose.” I’d give that a 9 out of 10.
Mount Shasta in all her amazing glory. I shot this from my iPhone in the car. I zoomed in, so it almost looks like a painting rather than being a bit out of focus. Kind of cool.