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Welcome to the monthly Fearless Conversations newsletter - inspiration and tools to help us create a world in which fearless conversations are common in our workplaces, communities, families and friendships. This issue has a vacation theme which, perhaps, is why it's shorter than usual! Enjoy! Shyrl
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Have a Wonderful Vacation!
All Year-long!
 Summer being the time of year that
it is, the theme of vacation seems uppermost on people's minds. From late May through August, we say "have a great vacation" to people
who we hardly know -- like we greet people with "happy holidays" or "happy new year" in December and January. We express good vacation wishes even to people we might not care about that much. I've been thinking about what we really are saying when we wish someone a "happy vacation".
We connect with other people in a fundamental way when we say things like: "Have a wonderful vacation!" "Have you had any vacation?" "Are you going to get away on vacation?" "Do you get any vacation this summer?" When people say they are going to have a "staycation", we express a wish that they enjoy their time off. When we ask someone if they're going to get away on vacation and they say: "No, not this year", we express regret and a hope that they're able to get a vacation soon.
 Our simple vacation wishes for one another are moments of connecting through our common human needs. We all have basic needs for relaxation, rest, fun, space, beauty, balance, self-care, play, ease. Vacation often offers more time to meet needs for spontaneity, excitement, adventure, friendship, bonding, peace, creativity, challenge, discovery, inspiration.
Sometimes it's hard to see one another through the lens of our common human needs because we are blinded by our judgment filters.  I wonder if a simple "good vacation" wish, spoken silently, could be a tool -- almost like a game, I suppose -- to wipe away our judgment filters, all year long. When we are disposed to wish someone a "good vacation", even if only in our minds or hearts, we come from a place of concern for their well-being. There's no better place to start to have a fearless conversation.
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Fearless Conversations Retreats
The practice of giving and receiving empathy is central to a Fearless Conversations Retreat. In most workplaces and organizations where I facilitate processes and meetings, people are doing their best to do their jobs, participate in numerous meetings, and interface with their public - all while living the rest of their lives, as well. They tolerate and manage stress coming at them from many directions. It is a gift to take some time away from work to support one another, to give and receive empathy. In a Fearless Conversations Retreat participants learn and practice skills to create openness, trust, enjoyment, ease, kindness and fun together. Click here for more information.
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Thank you for connecting Fearless Conversations with non-profit service organizations, schools, faith communities, small-to-mid-size businesses. Typically, I contract for design and facilitation of visioning or team-building retreats, strategic planning, meeting facilitation, transition planning, design and facilitation of decision-making processes.
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