Penny Casselman [00:00:08]:
Welcome to the Pivot with Passion podcast. Hi. I'm Penny Casselman. I believe everyone is deserving of a phenomenal life, and that life starts when you grab a red marker and claim what you truly desire. Regardless of where you came from, where you're at, or where you think you're edit. Life is what you make of it, and when you learn to pivot with passion, your world explodes with opportunities. Go grab your favorite beverage, and let's shake things up as we explore how to pivot with passion. Hello, my friend.
Penny Casselman [00:00:48]:
If you are here in the United States, you know that it is almost Christmas. Maybe my 3rd favorite holiday, first his birthday, then Halloween, then Christmas. But one of the reasons that I love Christmas is because I love gift giving. It is definitely a love language of mine. You may recall a few episodes ago, I mentioned that I was having a vacation countdown, and I was so looking forward to just experiencing new things and hanging out with some friends. Well, my trip actually happened this past weekend, And I spent delightful time with my besties. Shout out to Kim and Jesse. We went to New York City, And this is a trip that we have taken numerous times in the past, and we're able to resurrect This activity in 2023.
Penny Casselman [00:01:49]:
I will tell you through the hustle and bustle of the city and the magnificent decorations that are found around every corner. It really got me thinking a lot about how much I love gifts. Now although I had most of my shopping done, I did purchase a few things for myself, and the weather, for the most part, cooperated for us the entire weekend. We had the most magical time. We revisited old haunts, and we had fun discovering new ones. In one of my first 2 episodes, I shared with you my award winning speech on the theme of impact. And what I haven't shared with you yet is the follow-up to that speech where I was invited to deliver this Talk on stage at the Glenn Gould Theatre in Toronto. A theme was evolution.
Penny Casselman [00:02:46]:
I thought now would be the perfect time for me to share this talk with you, and you will completely understand why within the first few seconds of my talk. After you take a listen, I'll hop back on and offer some thoughts that I had on gifting this holiday season. Grab your favorite beverage, get cozy, and enjoy. It's time for a clarity cocktail. I love gifts. Giving or receiving, both bring me joy.
Penny Casselman [00:03:31]:
And if I spoke a second language, I'd be fluent in gifting.
Penny Casselman [00:03:36]:
I distinctly remember the year my grandma gave me a gift the size of a shoebox. It was wrapped in the Sunday comics.
Penny Casselman [00:03:45]:
I started to tear off the paper and then immediately came to a complete stop because I had caught
Penny Casselman [00:03:52]:
a glimpse of the box underneath. My cheeks felt hot. My hands felt clammy, and that pause felt like forever, but there was no going back. All eyes were on me. After all, it was my birthday. I quickly finished unwrapping and forcing a smile. I held it up for all to see. Behind the clear plastic front was a gown wearing crystal adorned limited edition Barbie, Complete with matching human sized accessories.
Penny Casselman [00:04:33]:
What was I supposed to do with this? I had long evolved beyond playing with Barbie. Honestly, I was secretly wishing for a set of car keys Because I had just turned 16. That day forced a change in my gifting language. My new mantra, it's the thought that counts. Fast forward to my 45th birthday, and I was surrounded by friends, delicious craft cocktails, beautifully wrapped gifts. I was in my element, and the party was lovely. Oh, and I'm happy to report That every gift was age appropriate. Love you, grandma.
Penny Casselman [00:05:24]:
2 weeks passed, and I was stunned by the arrival of a belated birthday gift. The wrapping was in the form of an ultrasound. And inside, I found stage 1 breast cancer.
Penny Casselman [00:05:38]:
What was I supposed to
Penny Casselman [00:05:39]:
do with this? This was about as useful as that Barbie, but I forced a smile, Not realizing I was about to undergo a massive evolution.
Penny Casselman [00:05:54]:
For days, I desperately tried to find the silver lining to this gift. Then I found it on my 1st trip to the hospital. It wasn't as fancy as a crystal Barbie accessories, but it was personalized with my name. And every time I'd go, I'd get yet another white plastic patient bracelet. And every night I'd go home, I'd slip it off and place it in a box. But after 24 months of treatments, surgeries, and infusions, and they no longer looked like bracelets. Instead, they looked like an oppressive chain. From my 1st chemo and surgery all the way to my final infusion.
Penny Casselman [00:06:49]:
Each one, a reminder of the pain, discomfort, and change my body had undergone. For 2 years, I tried to avoid the topic. I even wrote a book about it, hopeful that within those pages, that chain and my experience would find a permanent resting place and leave me alone. But it was a constant companion, and I was exhausted. Then one day, I heard a phrase that I had read numerous times before but never embraced. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Could it be that simple? So 1 evening, I sat quietly in the darkness of my room and grabbed ahold of my chain and asked it, what do you want me to know? And it whispered, remember that Barbie? It wasn't meant to embarrass you. Your grandma gave it to you because it was unique and special just like you.
Penny Casselman [00:08:01]:
And as far as me, I'm not an oppressive chain. I'm still that personalized collection of accessories here to remind you of your strength and your ability to choose your thoughts. Now, of course, my chain didn't really talk to me, but an evolution of thought. Now that's something I can shift in an instant. Today, I proudly wear my chain as one of my most valued accessories because it reminds me of my strength and my ability to choose. And in keeping with my love of gifts, I have one for you. Place your hands out and ask yourself, how can I change the way I look at things so the things I look at change? It is as simple as inviting change and choosing to evolve. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find you're already holding a gift.
Penny Casselman [00:09:06]:
Thank you.
Penny Casselman [00:09:12]:
And now back to the episode. Cheers. Coming back to my love of gifts. Certainly, when I was younger, it was definitely all about the gift count. How many things did I get to unwrap? And although I still love receiving gifts. Don't get me wrong. I really enjoy giving them more than receiving. Reflecting on my trip this past weekend and thinking about all the places that we got to revisit and seeing the magnificent decorations that the storefronts display during the holidays.
Penny Casselman [00:09:52]:
It was really about spending quality time with my friends and together creating new magical memories that over time, we get to talk about and revisit. In addition to a pair of earrings and a scarf and a packable down Hufferfest. One big gift that I got to experience that trumps all of those Was being able to meet a wonderfully talented woman whom I shared a 2 year business program with, and we had only ever met on Zoom. Meeting someone for the first time in real life. There is a magic to be found that is bigger than unwrapping a present. It is bigger than seeing blaze in a window. And I know that after the pandemic, we were all crawling out of this huge feeling of isolation, and there's something about sharing a physical space with someone and having a conversation that is magical. A quick shout out to Sarah.
Penny Casselman [00:11:06]:
It was lovely finally getting to meet you in person, and hopefully, that won't be the last time. Putting the final bow on this episode, I want you to remember these 3 things as we move to close out the holiday season. 1st, do things that bring you joy. If gifts don't bring you joy like they do me, maybe it's spending time with someone or taking a walk or sipping your coffee by yourself. But do things that fill you up, and as the Grinch said, made his heart grow bigger. The second thing, remember, it really is the thought that counts. Lastly, sometimes the best gifts aren't things at all. They are the memories and the experience that you get to treasure forever, my friend.
Penny Casselman [00:12:08]:
I hope that you and your family, however you define them. Experience joy and so much wonder this holiday. Until next week, Merry Christmas. Friend, thanks for listening to this episode of Pivot with Passion. If you've been feeling stuck, exhausted, or frustrated, this is your permission slip to go grab a red marker and claim the life you desire and deserve. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, and then hop over to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts because my goal is to put a red marker in everyone's Hand, and I need your help to spread the word and make that happen. Until the next episode, go grab a red marker. Get excited for your future and make your 1st move to pivot with passion.
