Today is the fourth day of Christmas. According to the popular English Christmas carol "Twelve Days of Christmas", the gift recipient would be receiving four colly birds. [Yes, colly birds, not calling birds, as is commonly sung]. Colly birds are European blackbirds (or crows), which were a delicacy in Medieval times. Not so today. Can you imagine someone offering you a gift of crows? So, I am giving myself permission to re-write the verse--instead of colly birds... singing penguins (smile).
As we approach a new year I am also giving myself permission to re-write other things that need to be changed, or at least updated--like the way I prioritize, reviewing our client base, updating my skill set, refreshing my perspective on down-time.
Give yourself permission to re-write some things in the new year too. Consider these as a start:
- review your business practices to ensure they are serving your company efficiently
- revisit your existing commitments and if they are the best use of your time and resources
- refresh your ways of communication (ex. practice active listening, or allow yourself a "cooling off" period before responding verbally or via email to situation, or work toward conveying your ideas more clearly)
- re-visit your time budget to allow time to volunteer or serve as a mentor
Go ahead, re-write your own lyrics, sing a new song. All together now... four singing penguins, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
