Walk a different way home

Recently while speaking to two Comm 107 classes at the University of Maryland, I posed the question:

[box type="none]If I know nothing else, what do you want me to know about you?[/box]

After their answers, I offered mine. It came from a personality test I took a few years ago.

Every day, I like to walk or drive a different way home.

It's true.

Invariably I get lost 30-50% of the time. But even then, or during the other times, I stumble across something I haven't seen before. Maybe I bump into a friend, find a park or store that's new to me, or discover a shortcut to get where I'm going.

When any of those things happen, it's a thrill. I want to share what I've found with everyone else.

This photo is from one such walk this week.

At the time I took the personality test, I had no idea how this trait was helpful. Then it dawned on me—it's what I do for my clients.

They, like you, are on the cusp of major change in their lives, and to go through change means being in the unknown. That can be scary.

Because I'm ok with the unknown, because I'm ok getting lost now and then knowing the treasure I might find on the other side—I bring that to my clients.

Working with me, they have someone with them along that unknown road saying: "I wonder where this turn will lead?" And, celebrating the discovery.

Some of my favorite reflections from the Comm 107 students:

• Joe: For somebody who is constantly apprehensive about the future, it was nice to hear someone with such an interesting background spell it out for me: we can only truly find our strengths and who we want to be by exploring different routes in life and examining all possibilities, never losing potential.
• Omer: With this new perspective in mind, I realized that this is what life coaching is all about: helping one understand where he or she is in life, map out his or her skills and talents, and help him or her move forward and attain his or her goals.
• D Roberts: I think my favorite part of her appearance was when she told us the story of how she almost threw up before a speech. [I almost did before that speech in June 2010.]
• Martin: Leaving class, I felt much more positive and more willing to take some chances and walk a path less traveled. I believe that with the kind of attitude that Lauree has, we can all improve both our lives and the lives of others.
• Alysia: And I wondered, what kind of person is so comfortable with being lost? Only someone who knows how to find their way.

Thanks again to Andi Narvaez for inviting me to speak to her classes. It was a pleasure!