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One year ago our lives changed

March 1, 2021

One year ago this month our lives drastically changed. On March 16, 2020, our province went in to its first lockdown. Join me as I take a moment to check in on the past year.

It is hard to believe that one year ago I was returning home from facilitating polar bear discussions in Montreal. There were some signs that change was coming. A few people in the airports were wearing masks. There were some reports of illness in other parts of the world; however, here in our province it was essentially unheard of. An unknown woman, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald was making a few comments to the press and we were living a normal life.

Old Montreal, 2020

Jump ahead a couple of weeks and I attended a family birthday gathering. Two of my uncles, and an aunt all have birthdays in March and each year we gather for a family blind potluck. It is a blind potluck because no one tells each other what we are bringing. It is always fascinating that we have very few duplicate dishes! This year, there will be no family gathering to celebrate. A gathering of 35+ family and friends is unthinkable!

Two days after our celebration, our province went in to its first lockdown due to COVID-19 being in our communities. We were scared, nervous, anxious, frustrated, and determined to do what we were being told so that we and our loved ones could be safe. During the first lockdown we had no idea how long it would last. We prepared to stay home in isolation as long as it took.

At first, it was fun! A chance to stay in pajamas all day, snack when we wanted, spend time with loved ones in our home, no commute to work. This is not so bad, right?

Fortunately, the most secure lockdown lasted only a few months. We slowly began to see restrictions ease and we got to bubble up with another bubble and expand our interactions with one another. Then the past couple of weeks came the dreaded news. We are in another full lockdown province-wide.

Third Quarter Phenomenon

When developing some curriculum last spring I came across an article on third quarter phenomenon (TQP). It is well documented about what happens to people in long periods of isolation. Studies have been done with astronauts in space, folks working in the far North in isolation, and people working on submarines. The novelty of isolation begins to wear off and the uncertainty sets in.

TQP is characterized by the following:

  • Agitation – Agitation refers to a state of nervous “excitement” or anxiety. When agitated, we feel keyed up and on edge, possibly hyper-vigilant, looking for reasons to be worried or fixes for our anxiety.
  • Irritability – When we feel irritable, we feel as though we have lost a sense of insulation between ourselves and others and our experiences and responses to them. Everything feels close to the surface and we are highly reactive. Research links intolerance, grouchiness, frustration, psychological tension, and touchiness to irritability.
  • Depression/Fluctuation in Mood It is normal to feel “blue” when faced with a completely disorienting reality. Owning, normalizing, and working through these feelings can keep them from turning into full-blown depression. If you are experiencing prolonged low mood with excessive guilt, loss of pleasure, sleep/eating changes, and hopelessness for more than two weeks, it’s crucial that you reach out to a mental health professional.
  • Decreased Morale Morale is defined as “the confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a particular time.” As we have seen, the manifestation of community morale as expressed by staying home, wearing masks, washing hands, physical distancing, and applauding our front-line workers each evening has flattened the curve as well as raised our spirits. Morale is an important energetic force that helps people make choices for the good of the group. When morale is high, we are more likely to be dedicated to communal goals.

I don’t know about you; however, I am certainly feeling one or more of these things at any given time. I try to do a check in once in awhile of myself and how I am feeling at that moment to see if I need to take any actions to pull myself out of a funk. I check in on my husband, daughters, parents and other family and friends to see how they are doing. As always, if anyone is feeling like they are struggling and need help, reach out to the resources that are available.

I do remain optimistic. A week ago, my 96-year old grandfather received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Our collective efforts seem to be flattening the curve on the latest outbreak in our province. The Atlantic provinces are doing well and I am hopeful that our Atlantic bubble will return and we can see our daughter in person again soon. Across Canada, numbers are heading in the right direction.

Pop receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine

In the words of the now well-known Dr. Fitzgerald, hold fast. We are going to be okay. Our lives changed a year ago. I wonder how much they will change again in the year to come. ~ Carole

Three Years Ago I Went Swimming

February 19, 2021

Three years ago I went swimming on this day. Now, you may wonder, how does she remember that? Well, it was also the day I started Spicer Facilitation & Learning. I remember that Monday morning so clearly. I launched my Facebook page, ordered my business number with CRA and then hopped in the car to go swimming with two of my aunts.

We attended a public swim at 9:30 am. The only folks swimming at that time of day are parents with young children and seniors. So, when I arrived, I was promptly sold a seniors pass! I quickly learned that swimming at that time of day is really just a social float; a time for people to catch up on local news, who is sick, who has travelled, who has returned home. As a result, I was fresh news! As I came up during my front crawl, I heard, Niece. Job. Government. Yup, I was the talk of the pool.

Three years ago I had no idea what my business would look like today. I had an idea, a business plan, and projections of where I thought I would be at this point in time. To say I exceeded my expectations is an understatement.

Three years by the numbers

Today I am too busy to go swimming which is a good thing! I am so grateful for the support I have received. Starting with my husband who endures me being home way more than expected, especially with a pandemic! Our daughters who encourage me and listen to my endless stories. My parents and extended family who are always eager to know what my latest adventures are. My 96-year old grandfather who keeps asking me, “Is there a dollar to be made at what you do?” Yes, Pop, I am making a dollar and then a few more. I could not do this without them.

Finally, I could not be where I am today without the clients who have put their trust and faith in me, my processes, and my desire to see them succeed. To everyone who has recommended me to someone else, has hired me, has attended one of my events, who has shared my social media posts, Thank You! I look forward to the next three years and then a few more! ~ Carole

We Are All Connected

February 11, 2021

I was reminded today how small the community in Newfoundland and Labrador really is and the fact that truly we are all connected.

This year I am a mentor in the Atlantic Canada Study and Stay Program. My mentee attends Grenfell Campus, Memorial University in Corner Brook. Today, we met online for our first session.

A few minutes in to our conversation he asked, “Did you attend the Environmental Impact Assessment course at Grenfell a couple of years ago?” Yes! It turns out, he was in the class that day. My friend, former colleague and client, Christine Doucet asked me to speak to her class on project management concepts and team-building. This was the first time I did and it was in-person (see photo). Since then, I have spoken to Christine’s class each semester. You can read about this year’s experience on another post.

Group of University students in a classroom
Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, October 2019

Our first session today was about getting to know one another. This young man moved to Corner Brook to attend Grenfell to complete his Masters of Arts in Environmental Policy. He is working on a project to determine if waste from the pulp and paper mill in Corner Brook can run greenhouses.

He is from a small community in Azerbaijan, 20 minutes from the capital city. His small community is not like ours in NL, however. It has over 300,000 people and the nearby capital has over 2 million! We discussed networking today and how to make connections in Newfoundland and Labrador. The fact that we met a couple of years ago, and again today, shows the power of how we are all connected in this province! I am looking forward to our next session. I hope I can help provide guidance to this young man and that he chooses to stay in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Handwritten Thank You Notes

February 3, 2021

When my husband was a young boy, he sent handwritten thank you notes to his grandparents and aunts and uncles whenever he received a gift. These notes always started with the line, “just a note to thank you for…”. He instilled the same with our daughters who wrote many thank you notes following holiday occasions and their birthdays.

This past Christmas I sent out hand-written cards to my clients and supporters of my business in 2020. After such a year of isolation, the personal touch was needed. The response amazed me! The gesture genuinely moved people.

Arrived today!

I realized that the efforts I made touched me too. Each time I wrote out a card, I remembered the work we did together, or the event we created, and the warm feeling I had at the time. It was a way to revisit the success of 2020 and a way to honour those that supported me.

Last week I decided, that for 2021, I am going to continue generating that warm feeling by sending handwritten thank you notes to clients and supporters this year. I looked at buying stock thank you cards, in purple of course!, but none seem to suit what I was looking for. I sourced several organizations for customizing cards and settled on Canva. Canva is my go-to for developing all my posts, flyers, etc. and this time when I researched their stationery options, I came across folded cards. I borrowed my husband’s phrase, added my brand colour purple, and created the beautiful cards pictured above.

Today, I am sitting down to send out my first thank you note of 2021. I know it won’t be my last. ~ Carole

Do you want to work with me in 2021? Check out the services I offer.

When the Teacher Becomes the Student: My Recent Professional Development Journey

February 1, 2021

I learned more than I expected when the teacher becomes the student this past month.

“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.”

Winston Churchill

This past month I was fortunate enough to spend some time on my own professional development. In addition to the actual content I learned, I learned a few things about myself.

Formal vs. Informal Learning

My first learning experience was formal learning by participating in a virtual workshop with IAP2 Canada. Secondly, I received informal learning from Rogue Penguin and Gavamedia following some updates to my website.

Professional Development

As a facilitator, I am always looking for new techniques to use to help my clients. Two weeks ago I participated in Effective Techniques for Public Participation. I thoroughly enjoyed it as we reviewed over 40 techniques in 2 1/2 days. Many times the instructor “techniqued” us by putting us through the process and then teaching us about the technique she just demonstrated.

This workshop completes my Foundations training with IAP2 Canada. It is a first step towards becoming a Certified Public Participation Professional (CP3). While I still wonder if I am a public practitioner, this designation is something I will definitely consider in the future. This was my second workshop with Tannis Topolnisky whom I highly recommend! It’s hard to be a student as I am often paying more attention to the trainer’s methods than the content. This workshop allowed me to observe and learn from both!

It’s Hard!

When the teacher becomes the student I am walking in the shoes of my participants and clients. I discovered how HARD it is to participate in virtual learning! 5 sessions, 2 or 3 hours each in length, over 2 1/2 days. I was more exhausted participating in learning than facilitating learning which surprised me. I found it hard to sit still, focus, ignore the notifications coming in, block out the cats crying when they wanted in, and absorb the learning all at the same time! As a result, I can certainly appreciate the attention my participants give me in my sessions. I thank you all!

SEO

If you asked me what SEO is before now, I could tell you what the letters stand for (Search Engine Optimization) and I could tell you the importance of it. Strong SEO helps your website rank higher on search engines, primarily Google. As a result, your potential clients will find you easier.

Ask me how to do it? I had no clue. As a result of my recent project, my website received some professional upgrades. A new plugin on my site gives me immediate feedback on the SEO of my website overall, and the individual pages. One page at a time, I am working on following the tips and suggestions to improve my website ranking. A huge thank you to Alisha Morrissey and Chris Ringrose for your guidance, support, encouragement and for receiving late night emails from me!

Available Funding

I received funding support for both of these learning experiences. Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Job Grant thru the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador funded 2/3 of my facilitation workshop. I encourage anyone looking for professional development to check eligibility as this program provides up to $10,000 per employee, per year.

TechNL provided 90% funding under their Business Tech Solutions Program (that closed in November) to assist in getting my initial website upgrades. I encourage folks to keep watch for similar programs in the future.

What’s Next?

Last week I started an 8-week program with the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization for Women Entrepreneurs called Gateway to Trade. I am looking forward to discovering if I am export ready, and how to market my services beyond our province.

When the Teacher Becomes the Student

Much like Winston Churchill, I am always ready to learn. Fortunately, I am also willing to be taught! Learning can be formal or informal, virtual or in-person, guided or self-directed. I appreciate the opportunities I have to learn and grow. It’s nice to be able to demonstrate the value of learning to my clients.

If I can be of assistance with your own professional development, please give me a call at 709-640-7060 or email me at carole.spicer@nf.sympatico.ca. Happy learning! ~ Carole

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