The reason 'Edges' change lives

The time now is 4.40pm in Singapore on the 27th of October 2017. I am happy it's not 4.44pm as that would not be a very auspicious symbol of what I’m up to now. (It’s an Asian thing). As I type this, the tune of the “Walk on By” by Sonya O’Malley gently caresses my environment with the piano. It’s a sign!

Yes. Edge behaviour. A manner of which we act when we are about to/or are doing something which is uncomfortable, challenging, unfamiliar etc…. transitioning into something different. Does this mean we lose what we are or were? Possibly.
It could also mean we are adding to who we are too.

I am uncomfortable as I type this out. I am not used to story telling and writing long essays on Word. I do it only when it is a requirement, (Brings back memories of University), have to (or I will lose my job) and in this case, as a challenge to myself (my marketing guru would kick my a** otherwise).

I am noticing that I stop and start. Thoughts come in like “what am I writing”. This is so far away from the topic, which I gave on a whim as I thought was catchy. I don’t really know where I am going with this. Should I have planned this first? Or I should have planned this first! This must be one of a kazillion ways Edge acts itself out.

Here, its all over the place. Or is it?! As long as we are about to do something uncomfortable, shifting our normal and default behaviour, moving to/adding something new to our repertoire, we are either displaying edge behaviour and/or crossing the edge.

I was assisting an ORSC Masterclass and included was the topic of 'edges'. During the time spent educating and practising coaching skills around edges, my thoughts naturally deviated to my own edges. And boy did it have range and depth! I reflected on the level of uncomfortableness for the different edges I had. Did I prepare? How was I physically and mentally? What was the impact on my environment (system) while I was going through and the after-effects to my environment and me? How do I help others with their edges? This had range and depth too!

In some really challenging cases, I felt I had an unskilful relationship with edges. At the same time, there were also successful instances where it was well dealt with; hope to keep trying different ways to have a skilful relationship with the variety of edges. We discover ways that work and don’t.   

Does edge change us? Regardless of whether we experience edge behaviour with or without crossing the edge, you bet it does. We may feel it instantly or it may simmer affecting our words, actions, choices without realizing it. We are made up of our experiences. And going through edge behaviour and crossing edges are experiences.  All of us have done it. This is putting a name to it! 

Edge.


P.S. The original title was “The 3 reasons why crossing the edge will change your life”

Author

A Diversity Maestro. A practitioner of resourcefulness. Values respect and integrity. A believer in possibilities to inspire.