May I Make A Suggestion? Collect Wisdom

This week I took one of those personality/behavior style assessments at work. My results are a perfect image of my current transition. I am comfortable in fast-paced environments that require quick and efficient responses. I have a talent for asking questions and directing others (Leo rising). The assessment labeled this personality type, The Controller. I laughed at that. My first job title was Ground Transportation Controller, and this is how so many people view me, but The Controller is my secondary communication style. My dominant style is, The Persuader. This type routinely looks for positive aspects to challenging situations, and creates consensus to get things done. I saw the looks on the faces of my coworkers when we reported our dominant styles. They looked as though I’d cheated on an exam, but we have spent the past year responding to a pandemic, so The Controller showed up in the face of the crisis. At home though, I walk on trails, observe my blessings, and breathe. I have been trying to understand my country without falling into despair. I have been discovering the oneness in everyone. I have been experimenting with persuading others to look within for all answers.

I am told that I can be like a bull in a china shop when impassioned and full of words. It does not serve me when listeners who were initially engaged by my message become more entertained by my passion. I lose people when I lose myself. Another reason to stay present. The Controller has worked for me for years, and will continue to be a card kept in my pocket like a rainy-day lover, but I have a message to share that cannot be yelled, nor can it be inflexible. I must have the buy-in of my audience because the message that I want to share is revolutionary. It isn’t new or original, but it is timely and life-giving.

A couple of weeks ago, I called Granny and asked her if autumn was getting her down this year since we can’t really leave the house.

The long darkness has arrived in the Pacific Northwest. The sun rises after 7:30 AM and sets around 4:30PM. The nine hours in between, I call daydark. For about five months of the year, Seattle is various shades of grey with occasional sun breaks to restore our humanity.

“No. Not at all,” was her reply. “I go downstairs. I sit for a while. I watch television. I come back upstairs, read my Bible, take a nap, and find other things to do. I’ve been cleaning out my closet for weeks. I just do a little at a time.”

I said, “Really, Granny? I’ve been feeling kinda down. Low energy.”

Before I could start rambling about my low grade depression, she asked, “Have you been taking your vitamins?”

“No, Ma’am.”

“Well, what do you expect?”

And with that, she moved on to the next subject.

The next day I went to Super Supplements, asked a lot of questions and walked out with a starter kit. Around four years ago, I was a vitamin junkie. I received regular deliveries from an international vitamin company, but when I started eating a plant based, whole food diet, I didn’t need the vitamins anymore. I was eating my medicine. My diet made me feel the same way that the vitamins made me feel. Better, actually. When my diet started slipping, I didn’t supplement. I kept telling myself that I would get back to healthy eating even though my snack decisions were getting worse and worse. When there was no longer sunshine to supplement my Vitamin D, I found myself kinda down. Nothing major, but noticeable.

Three days after I started taking the supplements, I woke up and went for a run. That could have been a fluke. Two days later, I got up and went to the treadmill in the garage for a 5:00 AM run. I haven’t been on the treadmill in over a year. The next day it was the same. Now, the 5:00 alarm is not dreaded, and my morning stretches don’t feel like necessary evils. They feel good. My body is craving self-sustaining foods. I am playing in the kitchen. I am drinking half of my body weight in ounces of water. My body and mind are in synch at bedtime. I fall asleep peacefully and wake up well rested.

Granny is a Persuader. The type who searches for positive aspects to challenging situations. She persuaded me to find my path back to my magic by starting with the fundamentals. Yes. A Persuader is well liked because they “easily and openly put faith in the abilities of others.” I have so much faith that we will choose wellness over bondage and I plan to persuade everyone.

Don’t try to jump back to where you were, meet yourself where you are.