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Lifestyle

What to Expect in a Changed Lifestyle

admin April 15, 2019

Sadly missing from the reunion were all the guys, namely Stephen. At least they indulged us and reunited on their own for a friend’s wedding earlier this year. Maybe Trey, Dieter and Stephen (still so dreamy) had a drama-free weekend in Cabo (you know, without the legendary Stephen-Kristin tiki bar meltdown).

At the time, hearing the doctor tell us that all of her limbs were “deformed, misshapen and in some cases missing bones altogether” was a gut punch that knocked the wind out of us. I literally couldn’t breathe as I sobbed with my face buried in my hands.

Photo Credit: Alex Turner & Co.

The times are, well, changing…

It’s strange to look back at that ultrasound appointment now and realize how differently I view the entire situation. Yes, my daughter’s limbs are quite different — thus the common term used to describe her disability as having “limb differences.” Her left arm stops above the elbow — a short round nub. Her right arm is a little longer, but still short with no elbow and a small, atypical hand. Her legs are also both shorter, and different lengths at that, but she does have two feet, which she uses for most fine motor skills like writing and assembling lego spaceships. Yes, the doctor was correct about her limbs, but other than that, he didn’t tell us a damn thing!

Ultrasound machines are not “future predicting machines.” If that ultrasound had been really accurate our appointment might have gone something like this:

Add any video or audio, even twitter embed

Doctor, chuckles: “Compared to everything else she’s got going on, small potatoes, guys. Like I said, you guys are lucky. I just had to deliver an ‘asshole’ diagnosis the other day and it was devastating.”


“The line between pity and empathy is razor thin. My rule to differentiate between the two is empathy. Understand the structure of your content.”

Andy Timmons

All of this Laguna talk has us in a turkey tryptophan dream coma that MTV’s cameras captured all the magic for our viewing pleasure. Even if they didn’t (missed opportunity) we’re heading to MTV stat for a binge marathon. This week’s productivity is officially dunzo!

All my loving Beatles…

Bff to our fave blondie, Lo Bosworth, posted this #LBHS10YearReunion shot to her Instagram and immediately sent the Internet (k, just us?) into a frenzy. From the looks of it, the girls were pulling a #TBT to their big high school party and dressed like it was a black and white affair. Girls, we know we didn’t TECHNICALLY go to Laguna Beach High School, but where was our invite?

Photo Credit: Alex Turner & Co.

Where does it all end?

You may not navigate this interaction perfectly, you might fumble for words or be at a loss, but most people will appreciate your effort and help you in the process. I’ve gone into many, many classrooms to teach children about disability — about my daughter — and I have seen their curiosity and hesitancy turn to acceptance and inclusion in a matter of minutes simply because we took the time to talk about it. In my experience, education doesn’t just make a difference, it makes ALL the difference when it comes to teaching our children about disability and fostering a community of inclusion.

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Prevail

The right combination of defensive and offensive moves provides the highest probability (37%) of security success. What you’re doing is working—now you need to double down, optimize, and translate the work done to this point into competitive advantage. You need to anticipate the next challenges and continue to innovate. With your business in a stable state, you have the resources and time to build more durability and flexibility into your business model and operations. Does prevail mean you can declare victory? No—prevailing is just the beginning of your long journey to becoming a leader. To prevail, fulfill the vision you designed and tested. We think you should:

  • Continue to instill flexibility and resilience
  • Leverage new technologies (like AI) that create efficiencies and advantage

Prove

It’s imperative to test the results of your actions—and prove that they bear results. A lot of companies make plans to change. Some actually do. But how many measure the results of their actions through financial results? In a fast-changing environment, you only have so many bets to make—and any actions or plans should be tested and proven before they can be put in place for the long run. Want to make sure your business changes and investments are worthwhile? We think you should.

Prove your innovations yield results—before consecrating them into your long-term strategy. We think you should: 

    • Upskill and reskill your workforce for the future—and measure the results through a critical group: your managers 
    • Quantify the ROI of your platforms

Pivot

This pace and breadth of change calls for purposeful and swift action. The world around us is shifting. Years’ worth of change is happening in a matter of weeks. Like many leaders, you’re probably finding you don’t have enough insights from the data in your company. You might also need to rethink your business model for a different future—or at least, alter your portfolio of products and services, digitize operations, and enable a more remote workforce. Before the pandemic hit, 61% of leaders said their ability to adapt quickly was a top strategic priority, but only 17% think they could do this well. Pivoting requires you to observe, orient, decide, and act—quickly and purposefully. We think you should:

    • Assess the changing world around you and not only adapt to the changes, but leverage them for competitive advantage
    • Better understand your business through a rapid approach to data analytics
    • Start taking a test-and-learn approach to new products, services, experiences, and business shifts

Protect

Any good offense is backed by a strong defense. Market disruption requires you to protect your business’ livelihood. Seeing an increase in reported cyberattacks? Need to preserve cash in the face of uncertainty?

Taking immediate, defensive measures helps insulate your business as you respond to change. We think you should:

    • Revisit your ability to respond to an outside incident
    • Get back to work by optimizing your workforce and creating a safe environment for employees and customers
    • Reduce costs so you can redirect resources to innovation

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