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Advice for Unsolicited Advice!
A friend of mine this weekend was seeking advice… I gave him the old standby!!!!! Have you ever been given advice from others when you had not solicited it? I myself have been on the receiving end multiple times of unsolicited advice. And truth be told, I’m sure I need to heed my own words here as I’ve also doled out perhaps more advice to others when it wasn’t solicited. I remember coming up with this line when my middle child was two years old in the grocery store and we were approached by an older woman. It was 9:30 at night, my daughter in her pajamas, holding her blanky with a pacifier in her mouth and I was quickly pushing the cart down the baby isle. Just as I was grabbing a large stack of sippy cups, a woman approached me and banged her cart into mine just about catapulting my daughter out of the helm of the cart. Without as much as a hello, she blurts out “You know that child is too old for that thing in her mouth don’t you?” Even for me who is usually quick with words, I stood staring and was about to open my mouth when she continued not even waiting for my response with “That thing is called a pacifier for a reason! It is a pacifier for the parents, not the child! Her teeth will be pushed out and she will have buck teeth!” Thinking to myself, I would love to punch her in the face, instead I remembered the words, be kind and respectful even if you don’t like the message. So, in the most respectful manner the words came out of my mouth, “Thank You. I will take that under advisement.” She looked at me, unlocked her cart from mine and marched down the aisle swinging her bottom from side to side until she turned the corner most likely looking for another shopper to prey on. What that lady who banged her cart into mine that late night could not have known or maybe she would not have been so quick to judge was that we were staying at my mother in laws taking care of her in her final stage of brain cancer. My daughter’s only sippy cup was lost and she wouldn’t go to bed without her milk. I was exhausted and honestly I think she was holding a pacifier in her hand and had one in her mouth and if she would have needed to shove two in there, I would have been just fine with that. And as for her buck teeth, yep the braces worked and if pacifiers could be used for 18 year olds…. I might occasionally think, now that is a brilliant idea! That two year old turned out to be an amazing, well- adjusted 18 year old lovely young woman who I do not think will be going to college with a pacifier! “Thank you for the advice. I will take it under advisement! Try it out…. let me know how fun it is to use it! RWR

 

The Seasons of Life: Eliminating the fall into the Grand Canyon “Every season has its peaks and valleys. What you have to try to do is eliminate the Grand Canyon.” Andy Van Slyke
as swiftly as the wind whirls them in the air and pushes them to the ground. As beautiful and serene as it is for many, others if you are like me, find this a time of sadness. Sad that summer memories are packed away and that the winter cold is encroaching and lazy days of summer on the lake are taken up with every minute scheduled robbing us of our time as family. I already miss the giggles and sleeping in late and dinner at 9:00 pm around the camp fire where a brat and s’mores covered all the major food groups. The change of season brings about a full 2012/2013 speaking schedule and Fundamentally Female book signing tour. Excited as I am about meeting new people and working with fabulous clients that have forever changed the landscape of my world, I shall miss the memories made during the summer. In an effort to avoid the crevasses and the fall into the Grand Canyon as winter approaches, I shall remind myself that the summer was not without its own crevasses, specifically as they related to the week of July 4th, 2012. Greatest wind storm in 40 years stripping away thousands of trees. Five days without power, modern indoor conveniences and the constant grinding sounds of generators and chainsaws. An overload of company that came even when heeded that there would be no modern conveniences. Heat index of 102 and the sweat dripping down parts of my body that could fully sweat while standing still. Wisdom teeth out in the middle of it all and a mouth that was pounding with dry sockets at the tender age of 51. So for those of you like me that mourn this season of life, hopefully you will remember that change is necessary in order to grow. Like the sturdy oak trees, we shed out leaves, packing away memories, we prepare to rest, be still and reflect and take on sunshine and nutrients in spring, so we too like the oak trees can blossom and bear fruit in budding new relationships storing our memories for yet another change of seasons. For those of you that are prone to plummeting to the depths of winter the Grand Canyons of life, hold onto the fact that you too will blossom again in the spring. As always, we welcome your thoughts, ideas, strategies and feedback. It is from each other that we learn to navigate through this wonderful world we call life. And when we know better, we do better! Please feel free to email or share your ideas here. Renee@reneerongen.com renee@fundamentallyfemale.com It is fall and in Northwest Minnesota on the lake the leaves are quickly changing hues of vibrant colors and dropping to the ground

 

 

To book Renee for an upcoming event that you need the WOW factor and side splitting laughter, please contact her at renee@reneerongen.com or to see what others are saying about shows, please visit www.reneerongen.com

 

RWR
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