Launch & Pivot
This week I got an email. It told me I had been selected for the launch team of Arlene Pellicane’s new book, “Calm, Cool, and Connected.”
Cue confetti and clapping and jumping up and down.
Although, in true transparency, I have no clue what it means to be a part of a book launch team. I was sold when I saw “Arlene Pellicane” and “free book”.
I first learned about Arlene (now that I’m on her launch team, we can be on a first name basis, yes? Totes.) when I attended her She Speaks session titled: “How to Write When You Have Kids.”’
OBVIOUSLY, I needed to attend this class.
It turned out to be the best session of the entire weekend.
She had so many practical tips and fun stories. She was super relatable, having 3 kids of her own. My note page was completely filled up.
Allow me to share with you one valuable insight that is so good for all mommies out there. It is called, the Pivot.
As a culture we pride ourselves in multitasking, when, in fact, we are only “semi-tasking”. We are only semi-there for each thing we are taking on. We need to learn to be “all in.” It is a mindset that says to the task (and most importantly, the person) in front of you at any given moment, “I am all here right now.”
But how do we do this, especially when we have small children who are always vying for our attention? I think first we remind ourselves that people trump tasks. The people in front of us are the first priority. However, there is still the fact that we have tasks to get done and there are littles needing us.
This is where Arlene introduces the Pivot. When you are busy on a task (be it writing, cooking supper, or checking instagram), and you hear someone approach you, you pivot.
You physically turn away from the task to address the person.
This means eye contact. And eye contact says “I see you. You are important to me.”
Let’s put this into a real life example.
Let’s say I was on my phone looking up recipes for supper tonight and my daughter comes in and asks if I know where to find her pink shoes. Still looking at my phone, I walk to the cabinet to see if we have any tomato paste and call out behind me, “Sorry baby, I haven’t seen them!”
Typical scene at my house. But now let’s practice the pivot.
I’m looking up recipes and my daughter asks about her shoes. I stop, pivot my body towards her and look her in the eye and say “Sorry baby, I haven’t seen them.”
Do you feel the difference?? The pivot says to her “I see you. You are important.”
The pivot is not just for kids either. Husbands also need to be seen.
I want my people to know they are important. Tasks can wait 2 seconds for me to tell my people that I see them and they matter.
Isn’t that good stuff??
In her new book coming out, Arlene is going to be addressing how we keep our “electronic life” in balance and under control.
See why I’m so excited for this launch team??!
Now if you will excuse me, I hear my tribe coming up the stairs. Time to pivot.
