Not So Great Expectations

A Skinny Pig is not always about money or the lack thereof. Sometimes it describes a leanness of soul.

Do you remember when you last felt that leanness – accompanied by a gnawing hunger for … what?

That kind of question reminds me why I enjoy being a life coach. There are challenges, but there is also fresh perspective to be had, discoveries to be made, and answers at which to arrive.

Entering into the exploration process can be exciting, settling, enlightening and motivating. It can also provide points of peace along the way as each choice and decision is thoughtfully considered and made.

However, the up side of the process also has a down side, depending upon who in your cast of characters gets more stage presence in your journey-with-goals.

Allow me to introduce a few familiar ones whose outlook tends to embrace not so great expectations. Where present, coaching is designed to help you determine if the cast of characters is internal, external or recruits from both.

Debbie Downer – For every uplifting thought or idea that hits your brain, ol’ DD is right there to throw it down to the ground and stomp on it. Debbie Downer’s nature is to discourage and dumb down any enthusiasm. I am not talking about clinical depression; rather, a depressing attitude that deflates anything and everything before it ever really gets off the ground. “Thou shalt not build up morale!” is the unwritten code of conduct.

• How many ventures or expressions of life have not been engaged because Debbie Downer is in charge?

Negative Nancy – I admit I’ve not been the understudy for this namesake. Nosirree. I’ve held the starring role at times and am well-acquainted with the script. Which is what makes life coaching so redeeming at times: jousting with the negative in order to turn unhelpful to helpful; pessimistic to seeing some potential; harmful to healing. And at times playing the devil’s advocate in order to beat him at his own negativity game.

• If the stage props you’re constructing are largely unconstructive, Negative Nancy may be wearing the foreman’s hat.

Fatalistic Freddie – “You might as well bury it and put a headstone on it. It’s going to die anyway.” Ah, fatalism. It makes for great dramatic effect on a real stage, but not on the stage of your life. When this character is reciting their lines it’s difficult to get a pulse until they realize they really are alive. It often requires a holy resuscitation in order that life become the focus of conversation and not constant talk of dying – whether it be dreams, hopes, desires, endeavors, relationships or even one’s life.

• Since all our days are numbered by the Lord, why waste your living with being focused on dying?

The encouragement with a Skinny Pig situation is that there are ways to feed, nurture and grow out of that leanness of soul. Wherever not so great expectations are part of that leanness, I think a slight rephrase of the Skinny Pig tag line is in order, from –

“What’s in your hand?” to “Who’s sharing the stage?”

If you’d like to trade in your old script for a new one, auditions are warmly invited here.

~ Nancy

Photo Credit: Kozzi 25404071-Billboard with film strip illustration with PicMonkey enhancements