Are You Afraid to Make Waves?

One of my favourite things is to get away to our beautiful beach house on Vancouver Island. Living in landlocked Alberta, it sure is great to escape to the ocean. And once I’m there one of the fun things to do is to sit on the deck and watch the boats go up and down the Juan de Fuca Strait.

All the fishermen and pleasure cruisers head back at the end of the day and as they pull up to the marina they pass a sign that says Minimize your Wake. Now there’s some logic to not having a fancy boat zip into the harbour at top speed. But it seems to me that many people have taken that marine wisdom to heart in the rest of their lives.

don’t rock the boat baby

Lots of people subscribe to the philosophy that it’s good to sit down and not rock the boat. Don’t want to say anything too controversial. Bite their tongues. Keep their mouths zipped.

The trouble with that is sometimes things need to be said. We spend a great deal of time stepping over issues - stuff that quite likely could be resolved if someone would just start the conversation. At least when people are talking, there’s a chance for a creative solution.

minimizing your wake depends on the situation

I’m not advocating making waves just for the sake of making waves. We all know people like that – ones who like to stir up controversy so they can sit back and watch the action.

But there are times when disturbing the water is exactly what needs to happen. Certainly you need to consider the impact you’ll create. You don’t want to capsize someone else’s boat. A gentle nudge might be all that’s called for. On the other hand, some people can handle a lot rougher water than others.

what’s the wake you leave behind?

Water that stays still for too long becomes stagnant. Are you ready to create some momentum for change?

• Get out of dry dock! Begin the conversation that you have been avoiding.
• Be willing to take a stand. Speak up for the things that are important to you. Nothing changes unless there is movement.
• Be responsible for the waves you make. When you rock the boat, some people might get a little sea sick. Be willing to stick with it if the going gets rough.

Consider if somewhere in your life rocking the boat is exactly what needs to happen. Ask yourself, “What’s the conversation that no one wants to have?” And then think about what would become possible if you actually talked about it?

Laurel Vespi, certified life coach and chief executive guru of stone circle coaching, ignites businesses & individuals to new levels of CHANGE. Laurel works with clients internationally, providing unconventional yet practical tips that make the seemingly impossible... possible!

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