Think differently
Good morning. Some of the best lessons in life don’t arrive with a big announcement.
They sneak in through ordinary moments.
A conversation in the car, watching your child try something new, or realizing you almost talked yourself out of taking a chance.
Today’s table is about those moments. The little decisions that quietly shape who we become.
Pull up a chair. We’ve saved you the best seat.
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TABLE WISDOM
“Little by little, a little becomes a lot.” — Tanzanian Proverb
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STORIES FROM THE TABLE
My 14-year-old son recently attended an engineering camp put on by a local company. For a week, these teens built cool robots.
Then, their robots completed challenges on the competition day.
When my son went up to compete, I immediately noticed that his robot looked slightly different than the others in the camp.
I started to sweat.
Why did he have to be different? What if he fails in front of all these people?
And then, at first, he couldn’t even get it moving. Oh boy. This is a disaster.
But a minute in, his contraption suddenly opened and closed – catching 4 balls instead of the 1 all of the other robots collected.
The gymnasium full of parents gasped in surprise. And I gaped at my son. What the heck?
But here’s the interesting part: As soon as we got in the car to go home, I asked him:
“Son, what made you think to do something different? I didn’t see any other robots that looked like that.
And he replied, “Honestly, Mom, I was just messing around. And I liked this better.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. 😂
(The former teacher in me wondered if my kid was screwing around, not following directions.)
But the business owner in me realized – isn’t that how all innovation works?
All creative ideas come from someone who decided NOT to follow the status quo.
To mess around a little. Experiment.
And then be brave enough to show it to other people. Even if it fails. (Which it could have.)
In the end, yes, I’m glad he did well.
But what I’m really proud of is that he didn’t feel the need to go with the crowd.
In a world where people are told exactly what to think and how to behave, it’s an important reminder:
Don’t be afraid to do your own thing.
It may just lead to places you didn’t know you could go.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
What if the thing that makes you different isn’t something to hide… but the exact thing the world needs from you?
The people who change families, businesses, communities, and history rarely start by following the crowd.
They start by asking “What if?” and being willing to look a little different.
Maybe today is your day to stop worrying about fitting in and start becoming who you were meant to be.
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK
This week, establish a good back-to-school routine.
One that helps you stay consistent. So that you have space to think, dream, and test the things that are important to you.
AFFIRMATION OF THE WEEK
Consistency over perfection.
SOMETHING TO CHEW ON
In August of 1984, what movie starring Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen, became the first-ever PG-13 movie to be released in theaters?
Find the August trivia answer at the bottom of the email.
TABLE TALK
Parent 1: My daughters are fighting nonstop this summer.
Parent 2: My boys tore off our garage door yesterday and painted 1/5 of our house orange.
Trivia answer: Red Dawn
Mess around a little. Show it anyway. That’s how the best things start.
Thank you for sitting with us. I hope you enjoyed today’s edition. If you have anything at all you’d like to share, ask, or say, just hit reply. I’d love to hear from you.
See you tomorrow at the table,
Jenn Kropf
Founder of Healthy Happy Impactful