Loneliness can be a problem for entrepreneurs.
“A 2007 study by researchers at the University of Michigan even showed that just ten minutes of small talk improved study participants’ cognitive abilities.” (Blogtrepreneur, Feb 8, 2010).
One of the blessings in disguise that came from my December car accident: receiving regular chiropractic and massage treatments has forced me to get out of the house. It’s easy to get stuck and end up spinning my wheels. Today I got out to the chiropractor and had the nicest chat with his assistant. Came home energized and motivated to make a hard phone call which was frustrating and was anything BUT small talk.
Conversation: Last Thursday I had a Very Important Meeting. In many ways, it was like stepping into my own private Dragon’s Den. I had kind of hoped for this person to become a business mentor and/or an investor in the Open Eyes book series. I didn’t necessarily walk away with either one that day. He gave me valuable critique and challenge, a 79 page workbook for creating a business plan and an invitation to show it to him when I’m done.
Conversation: I love my family. My brother’s wedding in Strasbourg, SK was a wonderful reason to gather with family from both sides and thoroughly enjoy one another far too late into the night on both Friday and Saturday. Delightful. Most grateful to Kevin for driving—and for enjoying my family, too.
Conversation: Kevin had a meeting tonight, so it was nice to stay home and have a visit with my landlady/roommate, to give perspective and encouragement for each other’s situations. We prayed together before she went to bed.
Conversation: Sue (the Accidental Poet/Housewife) and I have been invited to give workshops at the same conference in April. Neither of us has given a clear yes yet, but we’ve both been there before and would love to travel there together should we say yes. She called tonight to chat about that and to marvel at her experiences with being a significant person in the lives of several teens on the weekend. “Who is raising these children?” she asked. I marvel with her and thank God that she is who she is and where she is.
C.S. Lewis said that we read to know we are not alone. However, basic email and social networking doesn’t do the trick. I am generally an introvert (much to most people’s surprise), who needs solitude to recharge. However, I also need fresh air, human interaction, and a reason to get up in the morning. Sometimes that reason is best if it’s extrinsic, outside myself: another’s voice, another’s need. I seek conversations to know that I am not alone.
No comments:
Post a Comment