Experts in the Art of Nonverbal Communication
Now that it has been almost 18 months since the transition from my parents owning the business to my husband and me, we’re beginning to shift from “survival mode” into “what’s next?” mode.
Recently, I was asked about my vision for MGA. As I started to answer, I realized something surprising: I hadn’t started dreaming a new dream. For more than 30 years, my dream was to carry on my father’s gifts and share them with anyone who wanted to receive them. Eighteen months ago, that dream became a reality.
So now what?
To help answer that question, I picked up a new-to-me book from our dear friend Allan Parker, What Could Might: The Art and Science of Speculative Thinking. I’m also finishing a book I started nearly 20 months ago but never had time to complete: Awakening the Entrepreneur Within: How Ordinary People Can Create Extraordinary Companies by Michael E. Gerber. (His book The E-Myth remains my all-time favorite.)
Both books include reflective questions at the end of each concept, encouraging readers to pause and write down their thoughts. This simple practice transforms reading from a passive activity into active engagement with the material. I applaud both authors for incorporating this approach.
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Are Dreams Keeping You Up at Night?
Once I gave myself permission to dream again, ideas began flooding into my mind. During the day, it was exciting. At night, however, it became a problem.
The moment my head hit the pillow, my brain wouldn’t stop thinking about all the possibilities. I think, subconsciously, it was worried I would forget them. To make sure I remembered every idea, it would replay them over and over again—which was not exactly helpful for getting a good night’s sleep.
I knew something had to change. I needed a way to capture my dreams visually so my brain could relax, knowing they were documented somewhere I could revisit later.
Recently, we had a wonderful conversation with our colleague and friend Tim Longhurst, who shared how he sets aside time each morning to journal his thoughts and ideas on paper, inspired by Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way. I found the practice incredibly compelling and decided to create dedicated time each week to actively pursue my own dreams.
Now, a journal sits beside my workstation—close enough to grab when inspiration strikes, but just out of sight to avoid becoming a distraction. Whenever an idea comes to mind, I can quickly write it down and return to my work.
When I shared this concept of intentional dreaming with Savannah, she immediately embraced it. She even suggested incorporating dreaming into our MGA team meetings. Together, we created a shared Google Sheet with dropdown menus and color coding, giving us a visual way to capture, organize, and share ideas for MGA’s future.
We can’t wait to share some of these ideas with you in upcoming newsletters! It’s amazing how many possibilities have emerged in such a short period of time. Deciding which ones to pursue first may be our biggest challenge. In fact, we may even share some of our top ideas and ask for your feedback on which would benefit you most.
As I embark on this new chapter, I encourage you to reflect on your own dreams and passions. Let’s make the most of this journey together!
Krista
How can MGA help you improve your nonverbal communication skills?
Education
Nourish student relationships and reduce disciplinary time. Learn how enhancing your nonverbal communication helps classroom management.
Business
Fuel your employees and lead them to even greater successes. Discover how nonverbal communication helps business leaders and in-house teams.
Personal Development
Build better relationships with your colleagues, close friends, and your intimate partner — just by learning nonverbal communication skills and making them a habit. Learn more.
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