Listen to your children, You don’t know what they will teach you today!

We can learn so much from our kids. We just have to be aware and listen carefully to what they say.

A couple of weeks back, my daughter was to start a new school. She had not been asking to change school, it was a decision made by us, her parents. She left a small school with very few children in the class and was now facing to start a new big school with a lot of children in a new class.

I was nervous, and I was pretty sure that she was nervous too. So I tried to start a conversation with her on the way to school, to find out what she was nervous about and how she felt about starting a new school.

Me: – “So are you excited to start a new school or are you nervous about not knowing anyone?”
Her: – “No Mum, I am not. You know, today, I am going to get at least 25 new friends!” She held my hand and jumped beside me…

I was stunned, and of course, I could not say much to that. AND she was right! With that attitude and way of looking at things, of course, you could not be nervous or worried about not getting new friends. With this attitude, I knew that she would get new friends very quickly. By seeing everybody as a new potential friend and having the right mindset already from start – all her nervousness was gone. I had to accept the fact that it was ME, who was nervous about not having her feeling relaxed and excited about her new school.

Yes as you probably guessed, she had new friends within the hour and she had no problem of getting social with her new classmates or teachers.

Why do we grown-ups have to complicate things?

This attitude had me thinking. Why is it that we do not have this mindset when we are faced with new situations and meeting people we don’t know anyone? I meet a lot of people that rather stay home than expose themselves to people they don’t know. Especially if they are by themselves. I think that it takes practice and a lot of courage to practice this attitude and mindset. Let the emotions be ignored and go for the possibilities.

It was kind of funny, already the next day after this incident, a friend of mine, which is a part of a network marketing company, told me that she was invited to a party at a business where she didn’t know anyone. She was very unsure if she would go since she didn’t know anyone there. Yes, you guessed right, I told her about my daughter’s attitude and mindset and told my friend, – “You choose how you are going to tackle this situation. Would you go there not knowing anyone and stay at that, or would you go there to build relationships and connect with people that might have an interest in your business in the future? Grow Your network?”. She was, like me, stunned. I don’t know what she ended up doing, but I know, that if a six-year-old can have that attitude, a grown-up can too and it is all about choice.

My daughter taught me to look at the possibilities and opportunities instead of focus on my emotions. I think that is pretty grand, don’t you?

So, go out there and find your “25 new friends” and see the potential that lies in front of your feet…

All the best,

Carina Asp
Marketing Coach