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Yesterday was my dear friend Amy’s birthday. Since her special day is on the first, she has appropriated all of September as her birthday month, celebrating accordingly. Personally, I’ve never been a big birthday person, and acknowledging my own has become less and less important to me the older I’ve gotten. But Amy’s attitude of celebration has gotten me thinking about how we celebrate (or don’t) in the workplace. I’m not talking about balloons or cake or gifts – though those are all good things – but rather about acknowledgment, recognition, and appreciation for achievements in the (virtual or physical) office.
I’m going on vacation next week – YIPPEE! It’s not anywhere fancy, just the beach (though the North Carolina coast is pretty incredible), but this will be the first time I have taken off more than two continuous business days in a year. And I am pretty darn excited. Each year, a group of friends and I celebrate the end of summer with a weeklong beach vacation where all professional (and some personal) responsibilities are checked at the door. No work emails, no work calls, no work period.
Being prepared crosses all parts of life in small “Do I have my mask?” “Am I off mute?” ways and in big “Do I have the necessary supplies for the approaching hurricane?” ways.
Recently I wrote a blog story reflecting on a hilariously terrifying encounter with a self-diagnosed medical condition of mine – ophidiophobia. For what I am sure was a very small handful of readers who missed this article due to vacations – or for the medically uninformed – this means I have a terrifying fear of snakes – easily among my top 10 fears in this world. For about a week after my snake encounter, I found every reason under the sun to avoid my regular pandemic-driven self-improvement exercise routine. I would sit at home imagining my next outing, coming right back to that spot on the trail and seeing Mr. Snake again or, worse yet, seeing a bigger and more menacing companion.
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