Chili, Versatility, and our Talents (11-16-22)

Last week was about chili and simplicity. Our final chili related entry is about chili, versatility, and our talents.

Pretend for a minute that you’ve made a big pot of chili. What do you do with the leftovers? Do you just keep eating bowls of chili or do you use the chili in different ways to make something delicious? At first, I might eat another bowl or two of normal chili, and then I’ll start mixing it up. I might use that leftover chili to make chili cheese fries. I might pour some chili on top of nachos for an extra bit of flavor. I might even make chili dogs with the leftovers. I might mix some chili, scrambled eggs, and shredded cheese together for a nice breakfast. I might even get crazy, make some crispy tater tots in the air fryer and pour chili and queso over them (dang, I’m hungry now!) The point is that chili is great on its own AND it is versatile enough to be used in other ways to create other incredible foods.

What does this have to do with anything? The above story could be a metaphor for how we view our talents and the talents of others. We all have our own unique strengths (chili). It’s easy to only think about using those strengths in the same way in the same projects in the same roles over and over and over again (eating leftover bowls of chili). We might see a new challenge and think, “I’m not sure my strengths work with that.” Have you ever felt that way? I have. We might also look at people and say, “They are really talented at X, but I don’t think that carries over to Y.” In essence, we’ve told people that they are a bowl of chili, and they can’t be anything more than that. Before you know it, we have pigeonholed ourselves or other people into what we THINK they are versus all the different ways they could use their talents. We know that chili is great as a bowl of chili AND it has the potential to be great in so many other dishes. This is our chance to realize that all of us have talents that can be used in a variety of ways to bring more flavor to the world.

The challenge: Are you seeing the potential in your strengths and talents to be used in different ways? Are you seeing that same potential in the strengths and talents of others?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Chili and being Inclusive (11-2-22)

Last week was about chili and appreciating simplicity. This week is about chili and intentionally being inclusive in day-to-day life.

About 2 years ago I wrote a blog series about inclusion and my wife being a vegetarian. You can read that entry and any of my past blogs by going HERE. In summary, when my wife comes to my parents’ house for dinner, my mom makes vegetarian options, so Diane is included. This makes Diane feel cared for and valued. This week’s story takes this to the next level.

I take my kids over to my mom and dad’s house for a family lunch almost every Sunday, and my wife stays home so she can have a day to herself after holding it down with the kids all week (teaching, taking care of them, running the house, putting up with me 😉 etc.) Recently, we went over to have chili. My mom makes chili with beans and ground beef. As we were leaving, my mom asked if I’d take some home to Diane. That’s when my mom reveals that she made Diane her own separate small pot of chili WITHOUT meat. Isn’t that awesome? Now, my mom didn’t want to be praised for this or anything, she just wanted to show Diane she cares about her. I get home from my mom and dad’s house, and I tell my wife that my mom made her a separate pot of vegetarian chili and my wife simply said, “She’s the best!” You could tell my wife felt loved and appreciated.

What does this have to do with anything? It’s great that my mom makes vegetarian options when my wife comes over for dinner. It’s even better that my mom takes action when Diane isn’t around. In a similar way, it’s appropriate to focus on diversity and inclusion when we are in forums focused on those things or celebrating holidays. It’s even better, when we are consistently putting in the work because it’s the right thing to do. It’s even better, if we are making these actions just part of what we do vs. some kind of action that should be celebrated because we are showing initiative.

The challenge: Do an honest assessment. How are YOU consistently and intentionally being inclusive in day-to-day life? Where could YOU improve?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Chili and the Beauty and Power of Simple Things (10-26-22)

This week is about chili and the power and beauty of the simple things.

Imagine for a moment. It’s a cold crisp day. You can see your breath when you’re outside. You’ve been out running errands and you come home. You still have a little bit of a chill in your bones. When you get inside you smell it. A nice pot of chili is cooking on the stove. You scoop yourself out a bowl, add a little cheese and crackers, and you eat. That scene would describe a perfect fall day for me. It’s hard to beat a good bowl of chili on a cold day. There isn’t anything fancy about chili. It’s only a few key ingredients. The power is in the simplicity. A few ingredients, a hot bowl on a cold day, and it’s perfection.

How does this connect with anything? We live in a world where so much is at our fingertips. We live in a world where it is easy to have more and more and more. It’s easy to get lost going after the next thing with all the newest features. There’s nothing wrong with new things, but sometimes all of this causes us to get lost in a world of complexity. Sometimes, what we really need are the simple things. There is power and beauty in a short walk outside. There is something magical about a sitting around a bonfire or a table and sharing stories with friends and family. There aren’t too many things better than curling up and reading a book or magazine. Some of my best memories were formed playing simple card games. There is hidden beauty locked inside the world of simple things.

The challenge: Will you stop to appreciate the simple things?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry