Women: Wisdom Found in Ordinary Days
Advice and Inspiration for Women and Women Entrepreneurs
Sage advice flowed into my ears yesterday. Wisdom came from twenty, fifty and seventy year old women who crossed my path during an ordinary day. It’s amazing to begin a day not realizing who we will meet along the day’s journey.
As many of you have read, I am in the final stages of preparing to run in the biggest race of my life and as the date approaches my nerves and confidence are starting to shake. It’s no different than when anything big occurs in our life like letting our children take off driving a car for the first time, starting a new job or even opening the doors to our first business; the closer the launch date the more anxiety swells within us.
The first piece of advice came from a twenty year old female lacing up my new sneakers which will carry me down 26.2 miles on the streets of Boston. In a very excited voice she said, “You got this!” Her response reminded me of my own 20 year old confident self.
Guidance came from my forty year old marathon coach shortly before dinner bolstering my mind with race day tips. The laundry list of what I should and shouldn’t do settled me down because it was knowledge from someone who had run this race many times before.
Finally as the day was closing, a conference call with my friend Kathrine Switzer who is racing this massive event again – but not since 1976 and never at the age of 70 – shared her trepidation as well as her realistic expectations for race day. After hearing her self-doubts, made my own self-doubts valid.
Often in business when we are nervous about an extraordinary challenge, we forget sage advice from people who have experienced the same situation can illuminate our spirits. Only through communicating apprehension and qualms and having someone listen and share their insights can we settle into the knowledge that others have done what we are hoping to do. Their success is enough to pull us through our own experience.
Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is to assure you that you are never alone in your journey to accomplish something larger than you imagined. When you find yourself unsure, seek advice from anyone who has already accomplished what you hope to achieve. Their experiences and words of wisdom might be all you need to feel more confident to proceed forward.
Remember people come into our paths unexpectedly at all times on normal days. Pay attention to their junction in your life because wisdom can be found in ordinary days.
Women TIES 