March 2024

 

Last month Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow and forecasted that we can expect an early spring.

New York City’s Staten Island Chuck, Massachusetts’ Ms. G, and Wisconsin’s Jimmy the Groundhog concurred.

That must have brought a sigh of relief to my rain-soaked friends along the west coast, my goosebumped northeastern companions and my snow-dumped midwestern pals.

It certainly made me excited because regardless of where I am, spring is my favorite season.

I love watching the bulbs poke up through the soil and sprinkle the ground with bursts of yellow and purple. I feel real joy when my vegetable garden comes back to life. I’m boosted when the days get longer, and the weather warms my bones. Spring feels optimistic. An awakening.

Thanks Phil, Chuck, Ms. G and Jimmy!

Hold up, buttercup.

Are these vermin clairvoyant, or is their prophecy another form of fake news?

When comparing records kept by Phil’s sponsors (the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club) with the actual weather history (as recorded by the Stormfax Almanac), Phil’s accuracy is only 39%.

Since Phil (and his predecessors) have been prognosticating since the late 1880s, the law of averages suggests that the groundhogs should get it right about half the time.

But Phil’s family has been historically pest-a-mistic, forecasting 108 continued winters and only 22 early springs.

That’s defeatist thinking for you, even if it’s intended to be tongue in cheek.

Eighty percent of the time, these rodents have called for continued winter, and they’ve been wrong more often than not.

Their predictions have been delivered with a biased and negative mindset.

Don’t fall for their spin!

Spring always comes.

So many of us feel muddied by this dirty world. While the grime is visible and pervasive, not all of the news is horrific. It’s easy to lose perspective.

Find the light.

Instead of letting those hogging the low-ground set our expectations, I plan to use spring to take back control.

Fuck off, Phil

Chuck-it, Chuck

Let it be, Ms. G

I’m not getting caught in your trap.

Of course, I’m going to pay attention to everything that’s going on in the world, including the hard stuff. It’s only by knowing that we can find both empathy and the will to be part of the change.

But it’s time to celebrate and amplify the good news, see the positive opportunities and feel a sense of hopeful anticipation.

Whether it’s the emerging buds on the trees, the moments when we share common ground or opportunities to find the truth beyond the spin, we can set our sights on the future we want rather than the one we dread.

Those who live in the light know that by visualizing and articulating the future we want, we’re more likely to see it.

Look at the source. Hopefully, it’s more credible and less biased than Punxsutawney Phil.

Think about the message. Is it intended to build fear, and is there another side worth seeing? If there is potential, hope and meaning… don’t hog it!

Amplify the good news, the optimism and the upside. It’s up to us to spread our aspirations as quickly and passionately as we spread our fears.

Share it Small: If you’re part of conversations that seem to be cycling negativity, fueling fear and stuck in “what if” doom scenarios, flip the switch. Provide the counter perspective. Slip in some hope. Add some statistics that change the conversation.

Share it Big: Take a good, hard look at where you’re getting your news and information. If it’s fueling a negative fire, it may be time to find more balanced sources, thought leaders with ideas and change-makers carrying hope.

Share it with me: We all learn from each other. If you have had a revelation, a breakthrough, an insight, or a triumph, we can learn from you so please tell me about it here! I’m collecting stories of these cascades of good for ongoing community building and to track The Parlay Effect in action. I would love nothing better than to hear how you lifted, were lifted, or observed something in others that made you feel good and recognize your power.