personal sharing – Surprised By Joy

“‘Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” – Soren Kierkergaard*

I learned a powerful lesson about twenty-five years ago when I climbed Mt. Ixtaccihuatl in Mexico. The guides brought along a roll of crepe paper – lightweight, colorful, and paper, not plastic. At every decision point they tied a small bit of crepe paper to a tree branch or stick.

When I asked for more detail about route-finding, a guide told me that when we make the choices about which fork to take, we often forget to turn around and look at what it will look like coming back. He pointed out that the light, the contrast with the surroundings, the angle, it all looks different on the return. What we think is memorable going one way looks completely different when we turn around.

This rings true for me in life as well. I’m often so focused on the route ahead that I forget to take a moment to reflect on what I’ve learned. When I do pause, I find that looking back at the choices I’ve made or the a-ha moments that have mattered help me to take them in more deeply.

So in this episode of How to Share, we have a playlist of some of the incredible insights that have been shared in the last sixteen episodes. The lineup of amazing guests have taught us that:

Authenticity matters: In leadership, outlook, communication and receiving, it’ll ring false if we don’t show up as ourselves.
Slow down and celebrate the wins: Whether you are taking on a big task, changing the world one letter at a time, or preparing for a significant test, slowing our roll to remember our successes provides fuel for the next leg.
Storytelling is vital: Stories move us. One thru-line from all our successful guests is that being able to passionately pitch a story or idea leads to inspiration, openness, and movement.

These clips remind us that to collaborate we need to know ourselves, remember who we are talking to, and to convince anyone including ourselves, we need to be able to tell a passionate story

Takeaways

Reflecting on past choices enhances our understanding of the present.
Vulnerability is essential for effective leadership and collaboration.
Failures should be viewed as learning opportunities, not setbacks.
Audience awareness is crucial in effective communication.
When sharing life’s challenges, it’s okay to remember the story is about the person with the challenge.
Digital security is important in managing personal information.
Humor can bridge gaps in communication and foster connection.
Experiencing life at a slower pace allows for deeper connections.
Optimism can blind us to potential risks and challenges.
Seeing the risks can help you couch the negative into a better action plan
Reducing the friction between ambition and achievement and remembering your successes
Cynicism can prevent us from taking action and engaging in meaningful change.

* I also love the Steve Jobs variation on this quote: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.“

Here’s a clip from this compendium of insight:

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this packed-with-goodness episode:

The podcast player embedded below
Click this link to watch in a browser: How to Share Recaps
Subscribe to How To Share on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Podcasts
Subscribing to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@howtosharepodcast

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

Expectations can inspire us to try—until they harden into a demand for a specific outcome. In this episode of The Life of Try, Wynne Leon explores how unmet expectations fuel disappointment, why that disappointment can keep us from taking healthy risks, and what it looks like to stay hopeful without clinging. From a childhood lesson about “pressing for the answer” to Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of penicillin, we’ll trace how openness, curiosity, and faith can turn apparent failures into forward motion. Along the way, we’ll draw from Brené Brown’s research on disappointment, Maya Shankar’s reframing of identity after loss, and spiritual wisdom about surrender and non‑attachment—so you can keep trying even when the path changes.In this episode, you’ll learn how to:Recognize when expectations are motivating you—and when they’re setting you up for disappointmentPractice openness and curiosity when a try doesn’t go as planned (and why that matters)Name and communicate your expectations to reduce “unspoken contracts”Reconnect with your deeper “why” when your “what” gets taken awayHold onto faith that trying will lead somewhere good—even if it’s not the destination you imagined.The Life of Try is a podcast about personal growth, one try at a time.What happens when trying becomes more important thangetting it right?The Life of Try is a personal growth and self‑help podcast about getting unstuck, navigating uncertainty, and choosing to try—even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not your idea.Hosted by Wynne Leon, the show explores how real growth, reinvention, and discovery often begin not with confidence orclarity—but with a single attempt. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real‑world case studies, each episode examines what it looks like to keep going when doubt shows up, plans fall apart, or life forces achange you didn’t ask for.This podcast is for anyone who:Feels stuck or uncertain about what’s nextIs navigating change, burnout, or reinventionWants to live more intentionally without pretending growth is easyBelieves progress starts by trying—again and againThe Life of Try isn’t about hustle or perfection. It’s about learning as you go, surfacing what matters, and sharing what you discover along the way.If you’re ready to surf the uncertainty, outlast the doubts, and step into your own try‑cycle, you’re in the right place.Links for this episode:The Life of Try HomeLetting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving transcriptSir Alexander Fleming – Biographical – NobelPrize.orgHow to Regulate Your Emotions and Mental Chatter When Bad Things Happen | Maya ShankarAtlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Connection by Brene BrownPenicillin Wasn't Alexander Fleming's First Major Discovery | Scientific American

Links for this podcast:

Brian Hannon’s blog: Writing from the Heart with Brian

Vicki Atkinson’s blog: Victoria Ponders

Michelle Oram’s blog: Boomer Eco Crusader

Finding Happy by Peter Samuelson

Mark Petruska’s blog: Mark My Words

Rise Above the Script by Albert Bramante

(featured photo from Pexels)