Quiet Hopes

 


I surprised myself on the 257th day of 2021.  The scene, on 9/14/2021, was an online team meeting within the larger project.  And, in this meeting, there was a heated conversation about the development (or lack thereof) of an important piece of the project puzzle.  And, for once, I was quiet.  Yes, even though I had a LOT of thoughts and opinions (I know, surprise, surprise, surprise!), I kept quiet.  Until close to the end of the meeting when there was a pause, a kinda awkward pause, and I spoke up, kept calm, put my thoughts out there succinctly (and I think effectively), and then sat back.  I was surprised in my self-restraint and pleased with how effective this communication style, for the moment, was.  Thus, today, I have Quiet Hopes.  No, I have no hopes or even thoughts that suddenly I will become a quiet person.  BUT, I hope I can practice active listening, restraint, and a calm, concise presentation of my thoughts.  It's an area of professional development for me and I hope I can remember how well it went today and inspire myself to be more effective (quietly) in the future.

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