The Value Of The Last Few | Laugh | Real Love
Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS.
You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach:
Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: an energy (good or bad) word and it’s meaning
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge
LEARN
Something Worth Sharing
The Value of the Last Few
I hate filling the car with fuel, it’s just one of those “must-do / no-fun” jobs. While driving to an appointment last week I noticed that I only had 47 miles worth of fuel - and wasn’t that close to a petrol station. This gave me a touch of anxiety as I obsessively watched each mile pass by in my attempt to savour the fuel and get to the petrol station. Each mile mattered, and driving cautiously allowed me to maximise the available fuel until I reached the petrol station and the looming crisis was averted.
Following my appointment, I drove back to the office with a now pretty full tank of fuel. I noticed something along the way…I felt very differently about the mileage. I didn’t feel as if I had to watch it as I had on my journey to the appointment, and pulling away from traffic lights didn’t cause me to worry about savouring every drop of fuel.
Valuing the ‘last few’ of something isn’t limited to fuel, this happens with money. I certainly recall being a student and counting every penny! We can actually look beyond those two examples; there was an advert back in the 1980’s for ‘Rolo’ - a chocolate by Nestle - that played to the phenomenon of the value of the few. The advert was built around the last sweet in the packet and posed the question: "Do you love anyone enough to give them your last Rolo?" - as if this last one was more valuable than all others.
The fact is, the last chocolate is no different than the rest of the pack - it tastes the same. The last few drops of fuel in the tank is the same complex mixture of hydrocarbons - as was all of the other fuel you may have already used. The last few of something is the same as the rest - just not valued until it’s scarce. So why do we insist on wasting our health and fitness, as well as time, until it’s too late? Value each moment, not just the last few.
ENERGY
An emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s
Laugh
Being able to laugh and find the humour in life - and ourselves - is so important. The word ‘laugh’ is from PIE (Proto-Indo-European) word KLEG-. From research, all languages appear to have a similar word, suggesting that there has always been a word for our response to joy and humour - and in all corners of the globe!
If it’s so primitive and shared, perhaps we should give it more priority.
ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference
Gift A Book
This week, I’m encouraging you to gift a book - however you wish to do this. You might sort through your bookshelves and give a used book to someone or leave it on a park bench - or give to a charity shop. Perhaps you choose to buy a copy of your favourite book for a friend as a present.
PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)
“What was the most meaningful apology you’ve experienced?”
Whether you received it or gave it, what apology has meant the most to you? Perhaps it is the apology you’re yet to give or get. Why was (or is) this the most meaningful?
I’d love for you to send me your own stories / thoughts about this. Drop me a line with your answer / thoughts on this question
SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition - my gratitude or to be celebrated.
Real Books
I love, love, love real (as in a physical book) non-fiction books. Each one feels like a new journey of discovery. You’ll have seen many of my visual summaries of these books - and hopefully seen that they mean a great deal to me. My shout out is simply: books!
BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
The gift is only available to those that subscribe to the weekly LEAPS email
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LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis.
I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:
L: what have you learned?
E: what’s your energy / feeling word
A: what’s one thing you need to do?
P: what are you thinking / processing?
S: who or what can you shout out?
