This morning I was really struggling with a conflict I am having with an individual who is as focused and as dedicated as I am to our common task. I pulled up Bruce Schneider’s Energetic Self Perception chart and was so surprised at how useful it was in helping me frame my situation and consider paths moving forward. When I sat down to write and reflect on the situation, I really had no sense of where I would end, but I am extremely grateful to be in a far more positive place.

When I read this question, I recognized that while I have a lot to offer, I cannot presume to know what others might need. I can be more mindful of the individual people and there stories as I go through my day and through my interactions provide an openness and an invitation to what I have to offer.

Since we met, my wife Rebecca has inspired me to live my most authentic life and I always hope I do the same for her. This is not always an easy dynamic as living an authentic lives requires focus and mindfulness, and there are times when I struggle with pursuing the authentic. But when we are at our best, we offer each other a mirror for recognizing the authentic self and then we offer a joyful reassurance to the other that the authentic self is a pretty cool person.

The crazy variety of people who I meet every day.

When I am patient with others I am letting them be in their own moment without imposing my moment upon them. I usually tend to push action and conversation forward because I feel an obligation to get things moving. Instead of pushing my ideas or thoughts on someone else, I could purposefully pause, smile, and let them keep their moment. This would not only be gracious, it would be a bit of a relief and a chance to learn from their moment.