I almost killed Natalie Maroun - oops!

Hello High Heelers

I must confess publically that this week I almost killed Natalie Maroun. Really. It was a very very close call. But not in the way you all think – tsk tsk! (how could you think such things of me, High Heelers?) Well, what happened was... I was late for a meeting and nature called, so I sprinted to the ladies, and on rushing back out of the bathroom I opened the door with such force that I nearly knocked her out. When I looked up, there she stood stationary, stunning and stunned. When her red lips finally found the strength to open, she simply said “my word my girl, you open doors with such purpose.” How embarrassing! Needless to say, my meeting started late and I made an idiot out of myself and nearly killed my boss, for nothing.

The whole ‘almost killing my boss’ experience made me realise something quite simple and quite profound - we really need to slow down! As we step closer to the end of the year we find more and more that we’re sprinting in heels – which often leads to falling flat on your face (or getting painful blisters in the least). I’m finding myself making the silliest mistakes that just needed 10 more minutes of thought. It seems we always find time to fix the things that we didn’t have time to do properly in the first place. I know you don’t have time – but make the time. I know you can’t – but you must. I know it’s impossible – but make the miracle happen.

People keep passing my desk and asking for 5 minutes and I keep telling them that I don’t have time. Yet I find that Natalie always takes the time to mentor and guide me – if it takes 10 minutes, she finds 10 minutes and if it takes 4 hours, she finds 4 hours. Despite the fact that my schedule is far less taxing, I honestly feel like I don’t have time for people – how self-absorbed can you be? So I hereby declare that I now have time to do things properly and to engage with people. I know it’s going to be hard, but I am going to do it – and you should too.

“Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” (H. Jackson Brown, Jr.)

Can I encourage you to not just slow down in your work lives, but to also take time in your personal lives too? Make the time to see your mother, studies show that the sound of her voice and her gentle touch are one of life’s greatest de-stresses (for most of us, at least). Take time to treat your partner to something they love and chose to enjoy it with them (unless it’s golf – there’s no reason for any High Heeler to force herself to like golf, you cannot wear heels on the golf course and if you could, you would sink low into the ground... ok, ok, if you must, do force yourself and do enjoy it!)

We always make time for that which is important, so make your life important! Natalie makes time to have lunch with her man during the week on occasion, she makes time for all her staff, she makes time to greet every cleaner she passes, to wrap beautiful gifts and to say ‘thank you’ when a job has been done well (she always makes time to say ‘thank you’). If Natalie can find the time for it, so can we.

Thank you for making time to read this blog this week – you add so much value it. Have a wonderful week and remember to make time to smile and to walk tall.

Cheers,
Jo