Fast, Focused, and Open to What’s Next
I like to go fast. (Cue Ricky Bobby for those who appreciate terrible movies.)
But really—pace has always been something I struggle with. If I’m not careful, I move so quickly that I make ridiculous mistakes. Case in point: when I applied to college, I spelled my own name wrong. Yep. Great first impression. They even created my email address with Eliazebth. Or the time I rushed a flight reservation and booked my hotel for the wrong day. Or how, in my everyday life, I move so fast in the kitchen that I never really close the lids on jars (Aaron loves that one).
I know the saying: Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. But my heart doesn’t want to believe it.
So this January, I forced myself to do something different. I took 21 days off social media and had no set agenda. No rushing to plan. No obsessing over what’s next. Yes, I have goals. And yes, I have a word for the year (what’s yours?). But more importantly, I wanted to start 2025 focused, but open—open to what may come, and just as importantly, what may not.
January: A Month of Mentoring & Connection
January is known for a lot of things. For my northern hemisphere friends, it’s a time to bundle up and think warm thoughts (yes, even in Hawaii—granted, it’s only 60 degrees). It’s a time for resolutions (or not), for honoring inspirational leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and for something else that doesn’t always get as much attention as leadership: mentorship.
And here’s what I’ve realized—mentoring can sometimes feel like a 7th-grade dance. Everyone is standing on the sidelines, wanting to participate, but no one wants to make the first move. Mentors wonder if their help is needed. Mentees hesitate to ask for guidance. And meanwhile, we all miss out on the magic that happens when people pour into each other.
So here’s my challenge for you:
If you have wisdom to share—share it. Someone out there needs your experience.
If you need guidance—ask for it. People are more willing to help than we think.
The Power of Being Connected
My biggest takeaway from this past month? Life is so much more powerful when we are connected.
Connected to ourselves.
Connected to purpose.
Connected to the resources around us.
Some of the tasks I dreaded most this month became enjoyable simply because of connection. A dear friend shared her PowerPoint ninja skills, turning a mess of a program into a masterpiece. A coworker helped me avoid committing Excel spreadsheet homicide (because apparently, formulas don’t like to be randomly deleted).
So here’s to 2025—a year of connection, growth, and who knows what else?
To kick things off, I made my first video of the year on Google Notebook LLM—a tool that helps you save time, retain information, and teach others. If you’re looking for ways to work smarter, not harder, check it out!
https://youtu.be/4rjgtDeMr2A?si=lu3Tc3EJnpXCPQ-K
Woooo. 🚀
#YearOfConnection #MentorshipMatters #SlowIsSmooth #ElderlyMillennialAdventures #GrowthMindset
