By Kirk McCarley

A while back, before the days of Covid 19 and social distancing, people would gather for the ritual of a great American pastime:  The Super Bowl. In addition this time it was that one day each year when Punxsutawney Phil either did or did not witness his shadow.  It was also a moment of even rarer occurrence: a palindrome, a numeric date when the month, day, and year align in an identical sequence forwards and backwards.

02/02/2020.  Not only was it a palindrome day, but a full palindrome day, appearing in partial format (mm/dd/yy) as 02/02/20, as well as in military configuration (dd/mm/yy).  The last time of a “trifecta” was 11/11/1111. The next full palindrome day will be after most of us have departed from this earth during Christmas time on 12/12/2121.

Palindromes are ever present.  Maybe you have a friend named Bob, Anna, or Eve.  How often do you “refer” to someone or something? Are they on the “level?”  Many go to NASCAR events to watch “racecar” competition. We are reminded of palindromes in full sentences such as “Step on no pets.”  Doors frontman Jim Morrison even took a stab by alluding to “Mr. Mojo Risin” in the song “LA Woman,” but that’s an anagram and like Mr. Morrison, an entirely different story.

Palindrome.  The same coming and going.  Balance. Reflection. Self-examination.

What do you see when you look in the mirror?  In our youth, maybe another blemish? As a younger person perhaps a random touch of gray or that first wrinkle, signaling a transition to another phase of life?

Upon closer inspection is the view less visual and more conditional?  A couple with a newborn, ragged after a seemingly endless run of sleep deprived nights.  The desperation of someone who just learned of a job elimination. Helplessness, upon receiving an unfavorable health report?

More importantly what does our image convey to others?  Is it positive, upbeat, humble? Are you “attractive” to others, not so much from a perspective of appearance, but rather from the standpoint of having a magnetism whereby people are “attracted” to you?

I was doing some virtual Career Coaching with a client a few months back.  Although he found himself at a stalled period in his career at the time and considering other opportunities, he still projected an enthusiasm and confidence that was contagious, permeating readiness for the next assignment.  He stepped up to the challenge in what he needed to do to identify a different occupational path by applying the best use of the talents and abilities he had to offer. To his credit he developed a networking strategy of those he might contact to talk about opportunities and then executed that plan to near perfection.  The result was that through this determined process he discerned his strongest gifts and passions eventually deciding to launch his own support enterprise as a dedicated contractor to a large organization.

As a Coach there are few encounters more rewarding than witnessing transformative power coursing through the expressions of a client.  It was a thrill to be a part of his energetic journey.

Self-examination, looking at things from inside and out, backwards and forwards, is a healthy exercise.  Like a palindrome, our goal should be that our inner self is a positively accurate expression of what we convey to others externally.  How do you project? Polarizing or inviting? Off putting or magnetic? Cold or warm? Consider the services of a coach to help you get to where you want to be.

Now, if only my parents would have had the wherewithal to have bought an extra vowel for that birth certificate way back when.  Kirik, anyone?

A graduate of the University of North Texas, Kirk McCarley is a Certified Professional Coach as well as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and SHRM-CP Certified. He also is a Production Assistant for both college football and basketball for ESPN and leads group cycling classes as a Certified Spinning instructor. Contact kirk@theseedsowercoach.com, theseedsowercoach.com, or call  314-677-8779.

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