Welcome to the Winter Session everyone!
Years ago, Stan and I were in New York City days before Christmas. We were closing out the night at the Pierre hotel bar and it was snowing so much outside that people kept just crowding in to get warm with drinks and listen to the piano player. She was playing holiday crowd pleasers while the room was full of micro- conversations; pockets of people drinking beautiful cocktails and watching the windows full of falling snow. I loved it just like THIS- but then something awesome happened.
The piano player started playing and singing the first few notes of "White Christmas", and out of nowhere, some guy started singing along, then a few more people... and then the entire room joined in and for the entire song the room was united in delivering a classic holiday memory to every person at the Pierre.
I've never been so proud of a bar in my life.
What an IMPACT one person can have when they step up.
Holiday season or not, mobilizing a group, or even just a few is equal opportunity. People inherently know a good idea when they see it and sometimes we just need a certain nudge to act.
Like at the Barn...
- running faster on the woodies
-holding a plank longer
-crushing the Beaunus
-choosing burpees for your tabata
These are all GREAT ideas and more than likely its one person with 'em that rallies those around them.
Tis the season for stuff life that. Great ideas lead to good feelings.
And outside of the gates in our real worlds...I was surrounded by people all week at festive gatherings that displayed this kind of classic nudge. They were doing things with others in mind, with moments of kindness that made people feel good for a minute and mobilized others to look around this season and see how to have an impact no matter how small. All of them resisting the urge to be too "busy" to slow down and deliver good feelings for the season; and all of them seeing that by them stepping up to do a little something-- a lot of good was catching on.
The 21 day challenge starts tomorrow, lets not be too busy to choose something to focus on that helps bring about a slice of order, no matter how small. Impact is inspiring and lets not underestimate the power of our work, our effort, our random acts of kindness, our reach out to others. We never know who is ready to join in.
Moments that become motivating- and people that become memory makers- that's the kind of stuff that makes the daily grind feel festive and good.