In my workshops, I speak a lot about how the pressure to respond immediately is exhausting and detrimental to our wellbeing.
I also speak a lot about how I’m as much a work in progress as anyone else in the room!
Case in point.
Last Sunday, I rose to the challenge of facilitating an interactive workshop for 600 people. The amount of paper strewn around the room was as epic as you might imagine! In my rush to reclaim and recycle as many of those thousands of pieces of paper as I could, I dropped my phone in one of my boxes.
To limit my distractions, I always have my sound and vibration turned off during a workshop, and Sunday was no different, so a quick call to try to determine exactly which pile of papers it had become buried under was going to be fruitless.
A bit of panic set in.
Dozens of questions (and answers) flew into my mind, that I desperately tried to process while appearing entirely professional.
What if I couldn’t find it and had to reset everything?
I have everything backed up!
What if I lost precious photos?
Most of my photos are from work and not that precious!
What if there was a family emergency?
I’m not the only one equipped to deal with emergencies; someone else will step up!
What if I find it hard to observe and interact if I can’t tap into my usual regulation tool (taking photos)?
I may need to practice some other ways to be in the moment!
What if I can’t record notes and inspiration from other speakers?
There was a pen and paper in my goodie bag!
And the list goes on…Here’s the thing Abbie… isn’t it interesting that a mobile phone being lost for a few hours evoked so much discomfort and so many big feelings.
Once I gave myself a good talking to (and relaxed!) I permitted myself to be fully present in the room for an exceptional day of connection, celebration, and learning.
Sometimes these experiences highlight something powerful that we need to hear or force us to respond in different ways to our default setting.
Has there ever been a time that you’ve experienced something that’s forced you to respond differently?
Here’s to a week of being well.
Bel
PS: Loading my supplies into the car, I took one last look in a box of paper (that I’d already looked in dozens of times) only to find my phone staring up at me like it had been there all along!
PSS: Whether you have six or six hundred participants, interactive keynote presentations help your team be fully present in the room, connect, celebrate, and learn (no lost phones required!).