There are some amazing clubs out there...
But one that is not so amazing is the “JOIN THE CLUB” club.

This is the club in which there's no accountability, no responsibility, and no requirements other than being in complete denial of possibility.

People seem to invite you into this club by saying “join the club” when they mistake your needs and desires as unsolvable and status quo complaints.

You: “I need a vacation.”
Club Member: “Join the club.”

You: “I hate my job."
Club Member: “Join the club.”

You: “My kids drive me nuts.”
Club Member: “Join the club.”

You: “My mom is so annoying.”
Club Member: “Join the club.”

You: “I can’t catch a break.”
Club Member: “Join the club.”

You: “I should watch what I eat.”
Club Member: “Join the club.”

You: “I need to go to bed earlier.”
Club Member: “Join the club.”

I’m all about belonging; in fact, it’s part of my WHY and ESSENCE, and yet there is one club I’d rather not belong to: The “JOIN THE CLUB” club.

We all vent from time to time. And this can, on occasion, be healthy when venting helps us work through our emotions instead of being swallowed up in them.
After you are done venting, there is an opportunity to take responsibility for that which is causing you suffering because what sound like complaints are often masked requests.

So, before you JOIN THE CLUB (or invite someone to it), get curious about what you really want.

Try asking...
What’s the real challenge here?
What do I really want?
How would I like this to go differently?
If I'm are saying yes to this, what am I saying no to? (And if you said no to more things, what would you be saying yes to?)

There are so many great questions you can ask yourself before assuming that yours and others’ wants and needs are "pipe dreams". Whenever someone says to me, “ugh, I need a vacation,” I’m the first to ask: “When will you be leaving and where will you be going?”

And, depending on the timing and destination, I just might invite myself ;)
🌺 🌊 ✈️

Ps. That photo was taken on a windy, yet magical evening in Greece.