Hi, Subscribers. I am Stacy Casson, and I write this blog to get ready for the week ahead. This blog uses the power of Play to guide our daily lives. Play can help you grow personally and professionally, and it helps power up your creativity, problem-solving skills, and overall well-being. Let’s set ourselves up for success and inspiration, and remember to find joy in every step of our development.
It’s time for an accountability check-in. I made a mark on my painting! I have sketched out part of it in pencil. I did not do any decompression sessions this week, but I went to bed when I was tired. Another win was being able to incorporate my change management training into some meetings. I feel so competent and powerful. I made the time to journal about my future goals. Also, I went to the dentist and had no cavities. What were your wins this week?
This week, we are going to use the Random Picture Generator. I managed to do one decompression session this week, and while I was sitting quietly, my mind began to wander about what I wanted to write about for this blog. When I first heard this quote from Donald Rumsfeld I made fun of it, but it stuck with me and I often find myself referring back to it.
"There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know."
This quote serves as the basis for my reflection questions as I prepare for what's to come. What do we know going into the week?
This couch is being consumed by nature. It appears to have been discarded in a forest. Despite the decaying leaves and twigs, there is new growth. School starts tomorrow where I live, and it has been a time of assessing what needs to be replenished. My son needed shoes. He did not recognize the need and thought that just because you could push your finger through the hole starting in the heel, it was basically intact. If the couch in the picture were mine, I could honestly see him visiting the woods to sit in it because it still has cushions. It's hard to let go of our beloved items. I am not looking forward to the new schedule and the added pressure of getting everyone to work and school on time. The couch seems resigned to its fate. I can't change what is happening, so I will find a way to embrace it and find new growth opportunities. As you go into the week ahead, think about lessons learned and what you would like to do differently. I'm sure there is a YouTube video somewhere of someone finding a couch in the woods and refurbishing it. I looked and did not find one, but there are plenty of DIY videos about refurbishing couches. I think of mending culture and the many lost arts, such as darning socks and altering clothes. Sometimes, keeping something old costs more than it's worth. If repairing the couch costs as much as buying a new couch, it probably makes sense to let it go. Please do not dump old things in the forest. That should go without saying.
What don't we know about the week ahead?
Image by Terri Cnudde from Pixabay
This is such a fun picture because instead of dreading what's ahead, we can think of it as a surprise. I think of the beautiful wrapping like our carefully made plans and schedules. The box may contain what we always wanted or a nasty surprise. I'm unsure if the bus will be on time or what additional paperwork or supplies I will need for school. We don't know if there will be a crisis at work or in our personal lives. You may wake up to a flat tire or a rainbow. What do we know? We know the general structure. The fact that the box is a specific size means that it can only contain what fits inside, unless it's some strange element that expands upon contact with the air. We don't know if the item is in working order. I once bought a rolling cart only to find no shelves when I opened the box. The striped socks and generally festive atmosphere remind us to have fun. I try to lean into the absurdity of life and my choices. My youngest reminds me that ranting about some supposed slight is me choosing to make myself mad. Can you begin to cultivate a curious mindset for the week ahead? I expect good things to make it more likely for me to think in solutions rather than problems.
Finally, what don't we know that we don't know?
Image by Jacques GAIMARD from Pixabay
I didn't know about La Moretti Rainbow Chimneys. It is a sculpture made from 642 tubes covering an enormous chimney. Earlier in the week, a friend shared a picture of painted water towers in his city. Often, we're unaware that things can be different. Chimneys and water towers do not have to be eyesores. Did you know that some cities use fake buildings to camouflage equipment or infrastructure? While I was researching the painted electrical boxes in my city, I came across an article in Glasstire.com by Rainey Knudson, who wanted cities to stop painting them. He argues that "we should allow certain structures in our cities to remain invisible." We don't know the unintended consequences of our actions. He also asks, "Does our attention need to be drawn to these things?" In my Hot Seat Summer episode with Asmara Kazmi, we discussed how we can become so accustomed to our environment that we fail to notice unpleasant things, such as bad smells. Do we have routines and habits that are so dysfunctional that it's the equivalent of painting them as a beautification project instead of realizing that we need to create new systems? We don't know that we don't know how bad or how good it is. Many times, we take people and things for granted. We expect gravity to work daily. Where does our attention need to be? My kid asked me if I could go to the bank with them on Saturday. I told them that their brother had a check-up. When I told them the time, they were shocked because it was early in the morning and there would be plenty of time to go to the bank afterwards. I was so focused on this appointment that it consumed my entire day. It's good to have focus, but be careful about getting tunnel vision in the week ahead. Namaste
If you want to infuse more play into your life to navigate the challenges, my current offerings are listed on my Link Tree. I also urge you to share your experiences and strategies with the community. Your voice is valuable to this journey, and your unique path can inspire others.
Picture descriptions: A floral green couch in the woods is being covered by plant growth. A box wrapped in red paper with white polka-dots and a green bow between red and white striped stockinged feet. Looking up at a giant chimney covered with colorful tubes next to high-rise buildings and a blue sky.
