Let's Go Outside, in the Sunshine
I first want to wish the LGBT+ community Happy Pride Month! Thank you for your invaluable contributions to our society and your fight against prejudice and discrimination. We are proud to stand with you and honor your strength and determination.
Summer has arrived, and many of us, including myself, are excited to get outside and enjoy the warm weather and the numerous activities it offers. As a result, this month's topic is about getting "outside" our comfort zone and doing something that is both new and challenging.
For me, it's been fixing and repairing my lawn mower. Now, I should clarify that I learned something new out of necessity rather than choice. It was mid-April, and my lawn was in desperate need of a cut, so when it failed to start for the umpteenth time, I was concerned. So, of course, I Googled "My mower won't start" and received several responses, including the ultimate answer, a Blocked Carburetor Jet.
My first thought was to call a repairman or even buy a new lawn mower. Instead, I decided to take the plunge and do it myself. I should start by saying that I am not mechanically gifted and would never consider myself a "gear head," so the prospect of working on a carburetor terrified me. But I decided to face my fears and learn not just how to repair a clogged carburetor jet, but also what a carburetor jet was and what it did.
After a few hours of watching YouTube videos and reading articles on the internet, I put pencil to paper and began repairing my mower. I removed the carburetor, disassembled it, cleaned it, and removed and installed the new jet ($8.00 from Amazon). After about an hour, I had reassembled it and was eager to see if my efforts had paid off, and I was ecstatic when the mower fired up with one pull of the cord.
Learning how to repair my lawn mower, was a great experience for me. I learned something new, I learned a few new skills, and probably most importantly I gained confidence in myself that I could and can-do hard things.
No matter your age or level of professional success, learning a new skill can be a joy and a source of satisfaction. We improve ourselves and promote our own personal growth and development when we learn something new.
About learning something new, Dennis Buttimer, a life and wellness coach at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont in Atlanta, Georgia, stated the following.
“As you learn new skills, you’ll discover more gifts about yourself and improve your confidence and sense of well-being. You can also positively affect others with your new skills.”
The summer is a wonderful time to try something new, so let's get outside and enjoy the sunshine and try something new, something enjoyable, and something that will ultimately make us better people.
JVD
The name of this month's newsletter is taken from the hit song "Outside" by the legendary and iconic George Michael.