April 2024
April 2024
Hello Noticers!
It's another gift of a sunny, spring day in Seattle. The NWMLS system is down this morning either putting agents into an utter panic or giving them a moment to pause and realize just how much of life is out of our hands sometimes. I realize that a gift of growing older is that very little upsets me anymore. It is what it is and we move on to problem solving and plan b’s. In times of adversity some people only complain and catastrophize while others take the opportunity to elevate. A small example that made me smile this morning was when Showing Time was also down. I got a text from an agent wanting to show our listing at 3:30 but was unable to make an appointment. He texted me and showed the courtesy of asking if that would be ok. Noted! Great manners, great consideration. Is this someone we would love to work with if all other terms were equal on his offer? You bet!
This morning I want to share with you, why the name of my blog is The Noticing. I have two kinds of Noticers in my life and this may be the same for you.
The first kind are those who are quick to point out when I am wrong. Some days it feels like they keep a dossier of things I may have said or done in the past, only to whip them out with barely contained glee and metaphorically waive it about with the wagging of their finger. According to Oren Jay Sofer, this phenomenon is known as “predatory listening', and in today’s charged, fractured discourse it has become all too common—on the left, right, and everywhere in between.
Predatory listening can take a variety of forms: listening with a narrow focus to find fault or confront someone, lying in wait for something to be offended by, deliberately trying to catch someone out, or listening only to gather evidence for a rebuttal. Sorry to take the wind out of their sails but I am the first to admit that in 64 plus years I've been dead wrong about plenty. There are times I have behaved badly, just plain been misinformed or going only on what I had to work with at the time. So knock yourselves out keeping that file on me and waving my shortcomings about. Noted.
The second kind are the treasures in my life. I saved the below passage in a notebook I keep and I'm kicking myself for not writing down who wrote it.
So if anyone knows, please let me know so I can give proper credit. I reread this at least once a month. I am so blessed to have a few of these people in my life. Noticers in our lives are usually quiet people. They don’t call a lot of attention to themselves. They are too busy being of service to the people in their lives. They are the rocks of their own tribes yet they have the bandwidth to notice when things might not be quite right in yours.
A Noticer takes my arm when 20 of us are on stage and we need to get off but there is no hand rail. She just slips her arm in mine, like we are the Besties I wish we were and helps me down, like no big deal. Or when I am on stage on a panel and this other amazing Noticer in my life, just takes my hand in hers and says nothing but her eyes say to me, “You’ve got this. Just speak from your heart.” Or my WBFF who can distract me with her blind date stories but then is quick to Notice that I might be a nano second slow to laugh and knows that something is weighing on my mind and keeps checking in.
Treasure the Noticers in your life. Better yet, work at becoming a Noticer. Life and people are so exquisitely crafted and noticing the details that others might miss just really add the weft and weave of life.
“I am forever in awe of people who pay attention. People who wait for you while you tie your shoes while the others have walked away. When they continue listening intently while the rest of the group stopped listening. Noticing your moments of silence when everyone else hasn’t. “This made me think of you”, Noticing things you never even noticed about yourself. People who say “text me when you get home safe". People who make you laugh until you cry. Childhood friends who keep in touch. People with genuine intentions. People who are soft when the world has given them every opportunity to turn hard. The “let’s get ice cream” at 3am friend. The turn up the music in the car and sing friend. People whose actions match their words. People who make the world feel less chaotic. Kindred spirits. The trustworthy and honest. Hard workers. Good listeners. Clear communicators. People who love you for who you are. People who don’t ask you to be anything other than yourself. People who choose you. People who stay.” Author Unknown (darn it.)
CHANGING INTELLIGENTLY
The start of April also means that we wrapped Q1. Did it go as planned? Did you set yourself up for success or throw in the towel and you are back to the same old you and same old results? Your daily habits stack up to success. It is not an overnight thing. I am always harping on staying focused on the gain vs the gap. If you just work at being better than you were yesterday, the culmination of that intention over a year is really remarkable. One of my most favorite companies is Intelligent Change. They have great productivity products but also send out thoughtful emails.
Here's one I received about our daily habits.
Unlock the transformative potential of your mornings and evenings. Thoughtfully crafted routines can elevate your productivity and tranquility, framing your entire day for success. Here are five actionable steps to create routines that stick and transform your daily life:
1. Reflect on what truly matters
Ask yourself, what energizes you in the morning and what helps you unwind at night? Do you thrive on quiet meditation or an energizing workout to start your day? Is reading or journaling at night the key to your peaceful sleep? Identifying these preferences is your first step to crafting meaningful routines.
2. Embrace mini-habits
Begin with habits that are so easy you can’t say no. Could you commit to one minute of meditation each morning or jot down a single thing you’re grateful for each night? These mini-habits can naturally evolve into more substantial practices without feeling overwhelming.
3. Link new habits to established ones
Build consistency by attaching your new routine to an existing habit. For example, turning off your alarm each morning can be your cue to do a quick stretch or say a positive affirmation, while shutting down your computer can signal to reflect on your day’s achievements. This strategy helps embed new habits into your daily flow.
4. Set your environment up for success
Make it as easy as possible to stick to your routine. Lay out your workout clothes the night before or keep a book by your bed to encourage your reading habit. A conducive environment nudges you towards consistency without the need for constant willpower.
5. Celebrate small wins
Keep a journal or use an app to monitor your routines. Did you manage to meditate for a week straight or read every night before bed? Celebrating these milestones reinforces your commitment and motivates you to maintain your routine.
I ask all my Coaching Clients to try to add rituals of intention and gratitude to their daily routines. I also believe in and prescribe the brain dump of putting down all your next day’s To Do List on paper before you get in bed. Get it out of your head and onto paper or an app. You cannot get a good night’s sleep if you are worried you will forget something. And lastly, I encourage setting your clothes out the night before. It’s something I have been doing since I was in Kindergarten. It works. There's nothing worse than running late because you cannot find an essential part of your outfit and you are already cutting it way too close. Relieve the obvious and easy stressors so you are more available and open to opportunities throughout the day.
A BOOK, A MOVIE, A SECRET, A RECIPE & A GRAPHIC…
Lastly I like to share a favorite book or movie, secret, recipe and graphic, so you can get to know me better.
I am looking forward to the April 23rd release of Ruth Reichl’s new novel:
Paris Novel. I own all her books and have followed her from the time she was the Editor of Gourmet magazine. And yes, I'm kicking myself for purging all those beautiful issues of Gourmet in my move.
A movie I recently watched that was so honest, raw and unflinching about marriage amongst some other things, was An Anatomy of a Fall. SO good! Email me if you watch it and tell me what you think!
A secret. Hmmm… I don’t have many. I have a napkin addiction. Yes. I know. It’s weird. But I'm a sucker for beautiful linens. It symbolizes future gathering of people I love around a table for great conversation and bonding. I love setting a table more than I love cooking a meal. My favorite store in Bellevue was the Table Top Shop owned by Toots Moore. She was an early pioneer of female entrepreneurship in our area.
These days I go to Capers in West Seattle, owned by my college friend, Lisa Myers, for most of my linens.
My favorite graphic is from a favorite source Wisdom Made Easy.
Have a great April! Be sure to notice all the wonderful things happening around you! If you want to up your game with some one on one coaching, I'm taking on clients for summer sessions starting in June.
Sincerely,
Coach Diane