Together Again! Your Chance to Talk About What’s RIGHT

YOU are on my mind right now.

Yes—you!

Because we’re stepping into conference season. Packing your suitcase. Scanning the agenda. Wondering who you’ll run into.  You can feel it, can’t you?  That fun anticipation!

Because we get to be TOGETHER again!

In the same space and place.  Not on Zoom. Not on Teams. But in sessions and exhibit halls… at receptions… and in those in-between moments where the real conversations happen.  Ahhhh… together again.

Before you walk into that first room, I want you to decide…

What are you going to talk about?  YOU HAVE OPTIONS

You can default to the familiar loop:

• What’s not working
• Why it’s not your fault
• Why it probably won’t get better

 

It’s human. It’s easy. And honestly—it can feel good in the moment.  But here’s what’s actually happening when you stay there. Psychologist Martin Seligman called it learned helplessness—when you begin to believe your actions don’t really matter.  And when THAT belief creeps in….You stop trying. You lower your expectations and you quietly disconnect from what IS possible!!!!  That’s not where you want to live.

Now—pause—because this matters:

A conference is a GREAT place to talk about what’s hard. You should absolutely share the donor challenges, the people situations, your database, staff turmoil, and those personal moments that feel heavy. Because chances are, someone sitting across from you has been there… and found a way through. You can get help and support.

So yes—bring the real. But don’t stop there!

HOW?

Researcher Bill Durkin defines a positive conversation in a way that completely shifts how you show up:

 

“Anytime you help someone experience one or more of these ten emotions—
Joy, Gratitude, Serenity, Interest, Hope, Pride, Amusement, Inspiration, Awe, or Love— you are having a positive conversation.  This matters because even a few seconds of those emotions can change how someone feels in their body.”

Those moments build on each other and reduce anxiety, create connection and help people take action—even when things feel uncertain.

So imagine this: You’re chatting with someone after a session. Someone shares something hard, an unexpected no to a proposal, staff issues, family challenges….

You listen—really listen.  You validate—because it’s real.

And then… You help them find hope. Or interest in a new idea.
Or a moment of pride in something they’ve already done. Maybe even a bit of amusement—because sometimes a little laughter cracks things open.

That’s a positive conversation. That’s you helping someone move forward.

And here’s the beautiful part:  When you lead conversations this way, you don’t just change how others feel…

You stay out of stuck.  You stay connected to possibility.  You stay in motion.

So as you step into any opportunity you have to be IN PERSON these next few weeks—into sessions, hallways, receptions, and yes, those big lobby chairs—give yourself this simple intention:

Bring what’s hard—but don’t camp there.  Help yourself and others experience something that lifts, connects, and moves forward.

Because YOU are shaping every conversation you enter and every conversation is a chance to create energy, connection… and just maybe…

MORE JOY!!!!!

And that, my friend… is how everything starts to change for good.

 

Invest in Joy!™