An Overlooked Mess

I'm working on my next children's book and even though it would be incredibly convenient, I still cannot illustrate...or at least not without giving kids nightmares! This means that I am so very thankful for those individuals who are gifted in the areas where I am lacking!

Today as I reviewed the latest illustration from my illustrator, Emily Palma, I noticed a minor detail that I asked to be updated. It probably would have looked fine in the finished work, but I felt it was worth mentioning regardless.

Emily apologized and updated it immediately. She said that she stares at her work for so long that sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to see what needs to be edited.

An overlooked mess

I was reminded of my career as a retail manager. For more than a decade I managed at various levels and locations. I had amazing teachers who became valued colleagues.

I was far from perfect in my management role, still, I strove to provide excellent customer service, a welcoming work environment, and a clean and well-kept store.

But I failed...

I can remember vividly one visit from a colleague turned District Manager. She was fair and she was honest...and she called me out.

We had set up a display weeks prior to this particular visit and though I was sure to keep the stock rotated and shelves tidy, I had walked past this particular display every single day and had gotten so used to it that I failed to notice it's obvious need of a little TLC.

I was called out on it and asked to make it right. It was a simple fix...

But it damaged my pride enough for me to remember it.

I don't remember exactly how I responded but I remember well enough to know that I was embarrassed to have overlooked something so obvious for so long. Every. Single. Day. I walked by that display, not just once but over and over and over again!

How had I continually overlooked the problems?

As I responded to Emily, my illustrator today, I thought of this story from my time as a manager, and I told her that I would be a hypocrite to judge her for overlooking something so minor on something that she'd looked at for so long.

And it really is true, isn't it? That we can look at something for so long, even something simple, and never find the problems? Even the obvious ones.

We need that fresh set of eyes to see the problem before we can fix it.

It's a good reminder to surround ourselves with people who are not only encouraging but honest. People that will tell us where we need to improve, but also help us along on the journey.

How can we ever improve if we never see the areas that need improvement?

For example, my four-year-old thinks that she can swim without ever being taught. Her dad and I are happy to be the voice of reason in this situation, but we aren't just telling her that she needs to learn how to swim, we are going to help her learn so that she can succeed...and not drown in the process.

Looking in the mirror.

I'm going to spend some extra time looking in the proverbial mirror to see where I can improve as a person, a wife, a mom, and in business. I know I have a lot to learn, will you help me along the way?

"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24