This article written as a guest entry at The Discovery Well blog on October 8, 2021.
Gavit Design created The Discovery Well’s branding and website.
“Wat wil je zeggen?” is Dutch for “What do you want to say?”
Feeling like you don’t know what to say, wear, or do?
It is the fall of 2021 and we have all gone through some self-discovery over the last year or so whether we were looking for it or not. The world has been turned upside down and none of us are immune this rapid change.
“What’d you do this weekend” may no longer be good fodder for small talk when everything around you is closed down and your municipality is under government order to “shelter in place.” You may have hesitated to ask or even answer such a question. Masking has changed visual and verbal communication – blocking your smile, requiring you to speak a bit louder in order to be heard. Businesses large and small have rushed to update their communications to customers and employees to reassure they are taking the proper course of action in light of the pandemic and adjusting as information changes. We have all experienced communications happening in the midst of transition and chaos this year, some better than others.
And what of our own communications? When faced with daily chaos, we have been forced to look into ourselves and decide what is really important to do and what is best to say. This can be paralyzing. And the quiet that comes with being still can be okay too. Listening is also a very important part of communication.
Communicating while your life (or part of life) is in transition can be difficult and messy. But it can also be extremely clarifying. You are going to make mistakes. You will say or do the wrong thing in the wrong way. Your supporters will forgive your mistakes and even help you adjust to avoid mistakes in the future. Your haters will celebrate and amplify your mistakes which will also help you adjust to avoid mistakes in the future. As you fumble through your self-discovery it will become clearer who your supporters are and who is rooting against you.
Fast-paced change creates chaos and disrupts your normal courses of action, but you can use the disruption as an opportunity to find out what values you hold. Was the old way of communicating really the best way, or just a routine you had fallen into? What motivates your actions and words? What do you want to make in the world? What are your strengths and where can you improve?
There are times in life we all struggle with what to say or do. A global pandemic, for example. As we experience life’s changes it is good to remember that self-expression and communication – verbal, visual, written, even listening quietly – can drive self-discovery and can help turn the life’s chaos into order. So, what do you want to say?
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