Monday, April 22, 2013

Slipping on Seaweed

This stuff is slippery.  Trust me.  I know from personal experience.

Slippery
I stumble, slip and trip a lot.  I wear flip flops almost every day (except to work and only because they're not allowed) and they tend to become slippery when it rains in Florida (which is often).  One day, I was walking with my husband across the parking lot of a very busy grocery store and my flip flop broke.  It actually broke.  I slipped, almost doing the splits, in front of a car that stopped to let me cross in front of it.  It was a very embarrassing moment.

I think that my husband was embarrassed too because he just kept walking until I yelled for him to come back for me.  What is it about embarrassing moments that make them easier to cope with when someone else is with you?

I did my graduate work in leadership studies and I am absolutely fascinated with the practice and  theories of leadership.  One of the characteristics that I feel is important when we are exercising leadership is the ability to laugh at ourselves.  Having the confidence to admit when we messed up and move forward with humor and a new sense of purpose.  Not ignoring the embarrassing moments but embracing them with humility and dignity.  Now, this is courageous.  Maybe the next time I slip in front of others, I'll try not to call out for someone else and utilize the embarrassing moment to enhance my leadership capacity.

*I'm participating in the 2013 A to Z Challenge. Every day in April (except for Sundays) I will be posting according to a letter of the Alphabet. To read more about my theme, click here.
     



6 comments:

  1. I "live" in a comedy life. If I didn't laugh at my falls, I'd be crying. Would rather laugh.

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    1. I completely agree. Laughing is much better.

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  2. I have a bum ankle that pops on occasion and when it does, I pretty much just fall so It appears to all who notice that I slipped or tripped over something. No one can fathom why I'd "just fall" as if I planned it that way!

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    1. Though I'm sorry about your ankle, this is actually pretty funny. One of my husband's friends hurt his back while he was taking a nap. Getting older is a very weird phenomenon.

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  3. I am not known for grace. I do laugh at myself a lot, though, because (like Teresa) I prefer to laugh over crying.

    Lyre @ Lyre's Musings #atozchallenge

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    1. I think it takes a strong woman to laugh at herself. Good for all of us!

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