On Plumbing & Empowerment…

OK, it’s a weird title. Plumbing and empowerment do not normally go together. But this week, for me, they have. And in the process, they’ve revealed some interesting ideas that might be of use to you.

First off, let me explain that plumbing comes into it-not least because it helps to explain a week’s blogging silence.
The plumbers have been in in our house. And, terrified though I was at the point when gaping holes remained where the bath had been,  I’m feeling a certain sense of empowerment now. After all, as a committed, “cerebral rather than practical” soul, it was a big stretch even to stray into Builderland, with its strange lingo (“You’ll need a woodnut”…I never did really work out what a wood nut is, but apparently we now have them) and even stranger customs. For example, our builder didn’t like emails, and would only phone… Another stretch for a blogging and email junkie;-).
Anyway, the first lesson from all this, as my Long suffering Spouse and I appreciate our gleaming bathroom, is that there is always a job you’ve put off for so long, that seems so alien, and is buried so deeply, that it doesn’t even feature on your, “Things I must get round to doing,” list anymore.

 I can promise you that if you find that buried task, make a plan, seek help if needed, and then just get through it the best way you know how, your rewards in terms of energy, achievement and empowerment, will be huge.

A second personal development reminder

 Another useful reminder came from our plumber himself. Just as he was finishing our (have I mentioned this already?) astonishingly nice bathroom, he revealed that he himself hadn’t been able to have a shower at home , but only baths, for two years, because he’d been so busy working on other people’s bathrooms.

So, personal development question number two for you, me and the rest of the world, is:
“What skill or talent do you share with the rest of the world to a really high standard, but often forget to enjoy using for your own benefit?”

Once you’ve identified it of course, your challenge is to give yourself  that benefit (whether it’s cake-making, friendship, support, advice, or great bathrooms) to the same extent that you’d give it to someone else. And do please leave a comment about your experiences, or any stories that this post has brought into your mind.

Who’d have thought you could get all this from a bit of plumbing? Everyday life really is it’s very own personal development/empowerment course, if we can all allow it to be. 

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go, because it’s time to run a nice, hot, bath…