Iron Sharpens Iron

I don’t know much about the processes of making or sharpening knives, so I was fascinated to learn how using metal can sharpen a knife.  If you have ever been to a fancy restaurant or watched a cooking channel, you have likely seen a chef slide a knife against a honing rod.  This isn’t just some show-boating technique.  It literally is a preparation step that makes the knife ready for service.  In my research, I found the following concepts to describe why this step is done:

          The knife becomes far more effective and functional.

          It removes unwanted irregularities and imperfections.

          It not only sharpens the knife, it makes the knife shine.

          The knife becomes refined by revealing its natural edge.

Deliberately and methodically rubbing two metals against each other can result in an effective tool!  Have you ever tried to cut a tomato with a dull knife?!  No bueno!  Often a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp knife.  Therefore, the phrase “Iron sharpens iron” talks about the intentional removal of roughness, excess, and blemishes to reveal a shiny, exacting, true edge of the blade.  We should all want to be described as sharp, instead of blunt.  To become sharp, however, requires a polishing process.  Sometimes polishing can be intense.  Yet, when focused on the eventual outcome, the buffing process is worthwhile for the brilliant tool that is revealed at the end.

Each one of us is a blade in the making.  Therefore, let’s surround ourselves with the necessary iron to sharpen iron.  Often this means being challenged to become more than we could be on our own.  I have a best friend who encourages me to be better than I could without her support, and often this means being told things I don’t want to hear or being exposed to things I wouldn’t otherwise see.  We call ourselves the “Iron Sharpens Iron” besties, because we know that we are polishing, grinding, and buffing each other into a better place.

It is easy to surround ourselves with only people, events, or activities that help us just go with the flow.  But, what about surrounding ourselves with components that stretch us to widen our lens on the world?  I don’t find the honing process easy, but I do know that I want to have iron in my life that helps reveal my authentic edge.

Changepoints:

As you assess if you have any iron sharpening tools in your world, consider the following:

·       Do I have anyone in my life who talks to me straight?  If so, do I thank them for this contribution to my life?

·       Have I ever attended an event, class, or cause that makes me uncomfortable?  If so, what did I take away from that experience?

·       Do I have people in my life who I could consider my “safe place” where I can share in confidence?

·       Do topics that are steeped in opposing viewpoints make me uncomfortable (e.g. religion, politics…)?

·       Do I give myself permission to express how I honestly feel and do I welcome honest feedback from others?

To my fellow knives and honing rods: Sharpen away; sharpen away!

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results

Of Course

This was the first thing I said when my husband asked me to marry him years ago.  It was such a natural response to a question I had absolute certainty about.  I could have said “Sure”, but instead I shouted, “Of course!!!”

At the end of this past year, I started strategizing about my goals for 2016.  As I pondered questions about what I wanted for this year, I felt like my theme for 2016 should be “Of Course!”  In other words, if I committed or declined decisions throughout the year, I felt like it needed to be rooted in an “of course” response.  When I did a little digging about this phrase, I learned that it was initially used to describe a natural course, like a river.

When a river follows its natural course, it moves freely the way it was designed to move.  When a river is rerouted or dammed, it takes a great deal of man-made effort to keep that artificial system in place.  When we put artificial actions in place, we essentially negate nature.  When we allow something to follow its natural design or intended path, it creates a future that is meant to be.  “OF COURSE!” 

My goal for 2016 has been to create a more natural environment for myself through the process of saying “Yes” or “No” with my best “of course” responses in mind.  For me, this has resulted in editing my life in a way that more accurately reflects the season that I am in and where I want to be headed.  It is difficult for me to turn things down, because I have a tendency to people-please.  However, I am gaining much needed transparency and authenticity by honoring my “of course!”  Your “of course” is going to look different than mine, but that is the beauty of nature…no two rivers were ever designed to look the same.  Now that we are well into 2016, I would encourage you to assess your journey and what will help you best steer the course you are on.

Changepoints:

Encourage yourself to find your “of course” by asking:

·        Do my days feel fulfilling based on what I think is meaningful or what I believe others wish me to do?

·        Do I find myself regretting the times I say “yes” because of a knee-jerk response to please others?

·        If someone could wave a magic-wand, what activities would I include or remove in my current life?

·        What thoughts or activities bring a smile to my face and bring my world energy?

·        Is there negative noise (people or activities) in my life that I need to pare back?

o   What obstacles are preventing you from honoring your inner voice?

o   What measures can you take to assess your level of authentic living?

Go pursue your OF COURSE!

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.