It Ain’t Easy Being SHORT
… and you must remember to Breathe
(A reprised blog from March 2025)
My annual eye exam was last week, and as Alex, the 6’6” technician, introduced himself, he motioned toward the back of a door laden with coat hooks so I could hang my bag. With several patients ahead of me, only one hook remained—at the very top. Alex watched, waiting to see if I needed help. But the little voice in my head spoke up: I’m gonna do it myself! So, up on my tippy-toes, I went briefly airborne, and—bam!—I hooked it on the first try.
For most of my life, I’ve been proving to myself that I can do just about anything a taller person can. As the smallest student in both elementary and high school, I often felt the need to keep up. My mother would reassure me with the saying, “Dynamite comes in small packages!”—a mantra that has served me well… until it doesn’t. Because, let’s be honest, dynamite has its place.
Lately, life feels more chaotic than ever. Unpredictable challenges seem to come from every direction—wild weather, shifting politics, global uncertainty. It’s wearing on everyone’s nerves, mine included. I’ve also noticed some less favorable aspects of the word “short” creeping into daily life—short on time, short on patience, short-tempered. Clients seem more impatient, less flexible, and increasingly involved in the behind-the-scenes steps of our publishing process—sometimes to the point of becoming a negative interference. And, I’ll admit it—I recently raised my voice with a client (maybe two). After 22 years, that’s a first. I’m not sure who was more shocked—me or them.
Reframing Shortness: Finding the Upside
Please forgive me if I’ve seemed short on patience lately—I’m working on it. I’m consciously setting aside more time to respond to emails and texts, knowing that rushed replies often fail to convey my true message. I’m also making a point to disconnect from the news, sit quietly with my eyes closed, and breathe deeply in my pale blue safety bubble. And now that spring is here, I’m getting outside—walking my dog, reconnecting with other work-from-home neighbors on my block, and simply taking the time and making space to exhale.
That brings me to another valuable lesson I’ve learned from being short: when you’re small, you learn to weave through life’s obstacles with agility. In a packed crowd—whether at a concert, the grocery store, or a networking event—I instinctively find the gaps and move smoothly toward my goal. Lately, I’ve reminded myself to apply this same mindset beyond physical spaces—to navigate life’s unpredictable moments with ease instead of resistance, to flow around (or even surf on top of!) obstacles rather than trying to push through them.
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Reframing Shortness: Surfing the Waves of Change
I believe the turbulence we’re experiencing right now is temporary. We are at a tipping point where group dynamics are shifting. Whether you see it as good vs. evil or positive vs. negative energy, history has shown that chaos often precedes clarity.
What we’re witnessing on a global scale is called cohesion failure—that moment when the water mound at the top of an overfilled glass finally breaks, spilling over in a rush. Some might see this as the breaking point.
I prefer to see it as a dream wave—the kind of wave a surfer waits for, prepares for, and rides to new horizons.
It’s time to embrace the ride . . . we’ll even let you ride “shotgun!”
Afterthought: Flipping the Script
PS: My mother also loved saying, “A day late and a dollar short.”
I’ve chosen to reframe it: “Right on time, with money in the bank!”