BUSINESS
So, tell me again — what role do you play? W
e are living in very interesting times. Trust me, I use the word “interesting” loosely. There are other adjectives that may sit better with you, and if so, insert it/them where applicable. I don’t mind at all.
One moment we were “kinda-sorta” getting in the groove of showing up for ourselves, following our dreams, listening to our intuition, silencing the inner and outer critics, while juggling and caring for our families. We were raising our kids, caring for our parents, planning date-nights while robotically repeating “self-care is essential, self-care is essential, self-care is essential.” And in the next minute, shit hits the fan— all of it.
Hyacinth Henderson
8
Lead Up for Women
Here we are in the Year 2020 sitting in the midst of “stuff.” What in the world is going on? I have wrestled with the message I wanted to share in this article. I mean, technically, I am the “Money Lady”—a Stockbroker, Investment Adviser, Insurance Broker and Financial Planner, all rolled into one pretty little package—so I “should” be writing about, uh, money. But let us set the “should” aside for a moment.
In fact, most of us have been setting the “shoulds” aside for the past 60 to 90 days. COVID-19 came through and tossed out all the “shoulds” and “woulds” that we had planned for ourselves. Now that we agree (thank you, by the way) that it is okay to kick “should” to the curb, I would like to use this space to ask a very important question, “What role do you play?” Role – /rōl/ Noun – the function assumed or part played by a person or thing in a particular situation As I started pondering this question, I immediately thought about titles. Just as soon as I started thinking that, a little voice quickly nudged me and said, “Aht, aht, aht, Hyacinth, roles are different from titles.” You can have a title and not understand the role. So I paused and ate an avocado at my desk without a plate (sorry, Mom), while allowing more thoughts to pour in. Oh shoot, that little voice is right. Roles are different from titles. Think about the state of the world right now. There is no doubt things are shifting and that the shift is uncomfortable. Be reminded though, things become less uncomfortable when you let go. When you let go—in this case—of releasing the idea of how you thought things were going to go, the discomfort can begin to subside. Presently, many folks are largely hanging on to titles instead of focusing on their roles. When you are clear on the role you play in the world, you can begin to understand that titles mean absolutely nothing. Translation: You may have lost your job, been furloughed or chose to close your business, but that does not mean you are not valuable. You are. You are valuable and you bring value to the spaces you fill.
May-June 2020
