+1: #715 Ambi vs. Heroic Valence

Continuing our time with my dear friend Katherine Collins, let’s talk about another micro-moment of Divine wisdom from our recent chat.

 

Quick context.

 

As you know if you’ve been following along, I’ve spent half of the last 20 years in Founder/CEO mode and the other half in Philosopher/Lover-of-Wisdom mode.

 

Although I’m not really into astrological signs (lol), I happen to be a Gemini and that myth happens to describe one of my primary challenges pretty well.

 

I often feel a pull to be one OR the other. 

 

A CEO or a Philosopher.

 

Which recently made me think of the word ambivalence.

 

Which led to a trip to my 2,084-page American Heritage dictionary.

 

I flip to page 56. Here’s the definition: “the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.”

 

Alright. Got it. 

 

But what I’m really interested in is the etymology of the word.

 

Get this: ambi means “on both sides of” and valence comes from the same root as valor and valence—it basically means “strength.”

 

So, I reflect on the idea that ambi-valence basically means to be on both sides of strength and that, from my perspective at the time, the result of that is WEAKNESS. 

 

Now, let’s head back to my chat with Katherine. I share that little distinction with her.

 

To which she replies by saying something along the lines of: “Well… We could look at it that way. Or… We could say that you have TWO simultaneously STRONG channels through which you can express your gifts.”

 

To which I say, “God Bless you, Katherine.” (Hah. Seriously.)

 

Which leads us to Today’s +1.

 

Do you feel any ambi-valence in your life?

 

What if we could reframe that “ambi-valence” into “HEROIC-valence”?! 

 

I wonder… How can we take you and your multi-faceted awesome and channel ALL that awesome into heroic strength?

 

Seriously.

 

How?

 

Get on that. We need you and ALL your gifts.

 

One more time: Be not afraid. Give us all you’ve got.

 

(Pretty please.)