You won't always be on a 10 and that's okay.

You know, sometimes we're talking to people and maybe our energy's down or it's low and we're like, what's wrong?

You're not acting like your normal self.

But then they kind of don't necessarily always lead with empathy or with understanding.

And so it's one thing if you're asking someone, Hey, I noticed that your energy's a little low or I noticed that you seem a bit stressed.

Like, are you okay?

Do you want to take a break?

Is there anything I can do to support you?

I feel like those are the kinds of questions that you can ask to really help the other person.

Instead of taking it defensively as, well, what's wrong?

Did I do something?

Is there an issue?

You know, we just have to give room for understanding that people's emotions are important.

fluctuate and people's moods fluctuate because of external experiences, internal experiences, time of the year, how much rest they've had, if they've eaten for the day.

Like there's just so much that can impact one's energy levels and that output.

And so I think sometimes too, it's understanding, just giving space.

And sometimes, you know, That person might not need to or want to answer.

We don't always need to know why somebody's mood is off or something.

Sometimes we can just say, you know what?

Maybe they're having a tough day.

Let me just give them a little bit of grace because they might not even be aware that that's how they're coming across or something like that.

So I think that if we could just be more empathetic and compassionate and just give people a little bit of space, a little bit of breathing room.

We don't always have to have high energy interactions and we don't always have to have super positive or super engaged conversations.

It's okay sometimes for people to just be a little out of it.

That's a part of life.

And so we need to give room and space for people to just be sometimes, because honestly, there's a lot that people are going through.

There's a lot that people carry on their shoulders.

And sometimes we just don't have visibility into their world.

And they might not give you that visibility and that is their right.

And that is okay.

So sometimes the best thing you can do is just step back, give space and you offer what you think that person might need.

So if you notice someone is a little down, what can you do to bring more joy to them and to try to cheer them up, to try to uplift them and try to bring up their mood?

Or if they're feeling discouraged, what can you do to try to empower them and encourage them?

But they're feeling scared.

What can you do to try to remove fear and help them feel hope, right?

So how can you be the answer or maybe not the full answer, but how can you contribute and help close that gap and help fill that deficit of what that other person might need without you pointing out that they need it?

Because sometimes that's the worst, right?

Sometimes it's like you're angry.

And then someone says, why are you angry?

Or, Oh, you're, you're so angry.

And it's like, I already know that.

what somebody else really needs is to kind of tell you a joke so that you stop being angry and you start laughing again.

So, it's another way to think about the problem, but we don't really come from that angle.

We come from the angle of the person with the problem needs to fix the problem.

And, and honestly, if you just give them enough time, they probably will.

So, that's the message.

Give space.

Until next time, continue to serve yourself, your loved ones, and your communities from a full cup.