I recently heard a clergy member describing how we think about things that are 100 years old. In the context of people, he said, we think of someone who is 100 years old as frail and brittle and perhaps of little relevance. When we think of organizations and buildings that achieve 100 year status, we celebrate them as being strong and standing the test of time and valuable.
While we often focus on outer appearances, we sometimes forget that the wisdom and the experiences that have been collected by an individual who has lived a long time hold tremendous value.
This week’s challenge is to have a conversation with someone in your family or that you are in touch with in some way and engage them in something about their past. By doing this, you are showing them that they matter, their life still has value, and a lot of times decreasing the sense of loneliness that creeps in for so many as they age.
Don’t think of this as “doing them a favor”. Listen, and I guarantee you will get more out of this conversation that you thought.
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Will You Accept Your First Leadership Challenge?
Learning about Emotional Intelligence is one thing, practicing it is quite another. Just like going to the gym can help you level up your physical state, these short, actionable challenges will help you upgrade your mental and social well being.
