101. Holding the Vision

Hey everyone, uh, welcome to the Growing Small Towns show. This is episode 101, guys. We made it, we made it to 100 episodes, which, you know, we had moved to a biweekly recording schedule, gosh, I don't know, like over probably about a year ago. So it's taken us a while to get to 100, and, and just with kind of the busyness of life, we find ourselves off our schedule sometimes. But I'm really, really proud. I'm proud of us, I'm proud of my team, and I'm just proud that we've put together a show that you guys continue to show up to listen to. So today, to commemorate this, per usual, I'm coming to you with a solo cast that specifically is about the mental and emotional side of doing the kind of work that I have been embarking on in the last year and a half. And so many of you that listen to the show also are doing every single day. When I started Growing Small Towns, it wasn't just about getting more people to move to my community. That's definitely what I hope is going to be an eventual byproduct of that. If we don't attract people to our communities, our communities over time will die because people die, right? So we need more— we either need more children to be born, which I think all of us can, can just kind of own the fact now that our birth rate is not outpacing our death rate. Pretty much anywhere. I mean, globally even. So short of, again, creating more physical humans through procreation, we have no choice but to start thinking about how do we recruit people to move to our places. So certainly that's a, that's a goal. Um, but growing small towns is not just about the growth of the actual population, it's about the growth of the individuals that have already chosen to reside here. It's capacity building, horizon broadening, mind opening, heart opening. When we learn new things, we approach things differently, we get different results. And in a town like mine with 1,800 people, if you're involved in a lot of things, which most of us are, then all of the things we touch get better because of that, that growth of even an individual person. And so I think that's the, that's the power of human potential that I think we have an opportunity to tap into. And that's what I— that's what growing small towns is actually about. So it would only make sense that when I grow, uh, which I've grown— I'm growing constantly. I— there's constantly a tension in my life that makes growth of myself possible. And a lot of times that tension looks like failing, it looks like suck, it feels really sucky, and it feels like a lot of peak dwell— or, um, valley dwelling instead of, you know, always climbing peaks. So it's very, very much, uh, an up and down thing, right? And that's, that's starting— that's being a business owner without question. And I think it really is kind of expected in the work of community development or any sort of community work. It's just you've got really high highs and, and pretty darn low lows. So today I want to talk a bit about vision and how to hold the vision if you're doing visionary or kind of bold and maybe out there— that's in air quotes, there's going to be a few air quotes in this one just so you know— um, if you're doing that kind of a work in a small place. So these are, these are things that I've actually learned, and this is almost real time. One of them happened just this morning, so Uh, real-time lessons for you. Some of this is therapy. Again, like, again, I tell you guys all the time, I'm in therapy. I believe in therapy. And when my therapist tells me something that I'm— I've got on repeat to myself, I think, gosh, this might be valuable to somebody other than just me. So we're talking about vision. So when I looked up the word vision in the dictionary, there's clearly the very first definition is actually being able to see, which if we put the, you know, like, see— see could be just physically seeing with our eyes, but then also seeing ahead. And, and that's actually the second definition in the dictionary, is the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination and wisdom. So therefore, a person who's visionary is a person who has the ability to do that. So I am not going to stand here, sit here talking to you and say like, I am the most visionary person, imagine, you know, ever. I'm not, I'm not. However, I'm going to tie this back to an assessment because sometimes I think we think, well, I don't know, am I visionary? Because the truth is all of us probably spend some time being visionary and being more practical. There's probably times when our work and our lives call for us to be either or, right? So you all know, if you know me at all, or if this is your first time listening, welcome to the Growing Small Town Show. We hope you want to be a fan. And we would love to hear from you. Um, I'm kind of an assessment junkie, so most assessments, and by assessments I mean like personality assessments or leadership profiles, or, you know, just any of those things that help us discover things about ourselves, I find them fascinating. Most of them have some flaws or biases, you know, one way or the other, but you know, if, if used with some intention, they all can serve a purpose. So the specific one I'm going to draw your attention to here is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. So the MBTI is what it's often called. The MBTI is one of the most studied over the years. By the way, I'm just going to make a plug for this, and, um, we, we'll link to it in the show notes. There is a documentary, and I honestly right now I'm going to have to look it up. I can't remember where my son and I watched it, but it was about how sometimes personality profiling can be used to discriminate against people in employment. And that— so it's a documentary, I think it's on HBO. I'll— we'll find it and link to it. It was kind of fascinating, kind of the dark side of personality profiles. So again, you could use— you can use these things for nefarious purposes. For the most part, people are just trying to figure themselves out a bit more. Each letter— so with the Myers-Briggs, you have— you get a 4-letter type, and there's 16 different distinct personalities that can be arranged from this set of 4 letters. By the way, um, we'll link to this as well, but I would recommend 16personalities.com if you want to get your free Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, if you just want to know what your 4-letter type is. So each of the 4-letter types represents a dichotomy that— that— so dichotomies are basically like two— you could call them two opposing ways of approaching the world. They're not exactly oppositional, but they're just two different ways of looking at the world. And you, through a series of— and I don't know how many questions this particular assessment is, it depends if you do it kind of a cheaper one or a free one versus doing a paid one. But your answers are going to help determine, according to the scientific— the scientific assessment, where you are on either end of this dichotomy. So they really are more of a spectrum than binary. It's not as if like you're just this or just that. But when you answer these kind of free of— free of any distraction, that's a big thing. Make sure that you have the time to do this. It will, it will reveal to you probably, um, a preference for one end of that spectrum or the other. So I'm not going to break down the Myers-Briggs fully here. I'm really just going to draw attention to the second dichotomy, which illustrates the kind of information that we prefer to use, uh, just in general, like when we're taking in information. So the actual letter, the dichotomy, is either an S for sensing or an, an N for intuition. Okay, so I'll ask you a few questions. I, I mean, I know what I am. I'm gonna get to that in here in just a second. But so, do you pay more attention to information that comes in through your 5 senses, or— that would be sensing— or do you pay more attention to the patterns and the possibilities that you see in the information that you receive? So again, they're not binary. It's not like you're either or. Every single one of us has to live in both worlds because life dictates it. But a little more on sensing. So paying attention to physical reality, what you see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. If the following statements, these would be things that would apply to you if you were a sensor. I remember events as snapshots of what actually happened. I solve problems by working through facts. I'm pragmatic and look to the bottom line. I start with the facts and then get a big picture. I trust experience first and trust words and symbols less. Less. So I pay attention to facts, either past or present, and so much so that sometimes I miss new opportunities or possibilities. Okay, so a sensor is a pragmatic person, not just detailed, but really it's about what they can see that's right in front of them, right? Uh, intuition, on the other hand— so this is the end— this is people that pay attention to the impressions or the meanings and patterns of the information that they get. So these are the kinds of things that you would agree to if you were high on the intuitive scale. So I remember events more an impression of what it was like than the actual facts or details. I remember events by reading between the lines about their meaning. I solve problems by leaping between different ideas and possibilities. I'm interested in doing things that are new and different. I like to see the big picture first and then figure out the facts. I trust impressions and metaphors more than what I've actually experienced. And sometimes I think so much about new possibilities that I never look at how to actually make them a reality. So you can see how, uh, and this is why I always find these things fascinating, because as my therapist once said, it's tricky down here. Being a human is tricky. And, and these are just, these are just one lens through which to view this. And again, it's not, um, it's not perfect. It's not perfect, but it certainly can give you some information. So I'm guessing just listening to those two things, you can see where, uh, and imagine where some serious conflict can happen between individuals. And I, again, the name of this podcast episode today is Holding the Vision. So you're probably gonna be able to guess where I tend to land on this spectrum. But so with the paid assessment tool, you get a range that actually identifies the strength of your response on either end of that spectrum. The range for the Myers-Briggs dichotomies on the paid assessment that I had taken, and I've taken it several times and I'm always the same, which is kind of fascinating. It's from 0 to 30 on either end of the dichotomy, so with 0 being in the middle. And it's not like left or right, because that tends to make you feel like one's right and one's wrong. That's not it at all. So sensing tends to be on the left-hand side of that, so 0 to 30 on sensing, and then same point, 0 to 30 on the, on the right side with intuition. I scored a 30. I can't become more of an intuitive individual than I, than I am. So, so this is all fine and well. You know, we need people like me, but as a person who loves to make meaning of the things that I see and, and find patterns, I'm not gonna lie, I often find myself really frustrated by the patterns that I think that I'm seeing, the meaning that I think I'm making in my small town. So I wanna share a few things. They're, they're tips, I guess. They're things you can think about, ways that you can approach people. A couple, well, at least one is like something you can actually do. But these are 4, 4 different distinct things that you can do or think about to help you hold a vision even when others can't or don't. So it's funny, right? Like I'm sharing these because the way I see it, you know, if we're visionary people, we always have choices about what we wanna do about stuff, guys. Always. We always have choices. So the first choice is to continually be pissed off that everybody else isn't keeping up. Right? Like, come on, like, this isn't that big of a deal. It's like so exciting. And just get with me on this, right? And I do, I definitely spend some time living here. I get really frustrated. Um, or, you know, we could insist on, on trying to change people or persuade people. We could try to convince people that where, where we're trying to take everybody is a great place to go. Um, or because I'm, I'm, I feel like neither of those two options are really all that productive. The other option is to try some new things myself to see if I get better or different results. And I joke here, like, I might be a touch crazy, but I'm not actually insane. Am I right? Like, the whole definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Well, if we don't— if we feel like we might be going a little bit crazy, that's, that's when it's really time to go, okay. Um, and I'm not talking clinical, clinical diagnoses here. Yeah, I'm just talking your run-of-the-mill You feel scattered, you feel misunderstood, you feel like the, the kind of standard stuff. The only option we have is to try something new. So without further ado, um, because I do make a big ado about most things— sorry, the preamble. I hope you guys enjoy it. I just want to help you understand why, again, I don't ever sit here thinking like I am on a mountaintop and I have figured all this stuff out. These are things I'm literally repeating to myself all the time. So that's when I know, like, this might be a thing. Okay, so here's number 1, uh, the phrase is no story, no problem. Um, I spoke at a women's conference, um, gosh, I don't know, like a few, a couple months ago, and my good friend Marilyn was in the, was in the crowd, and she summarized it with those 4 words: no story, no problem. And I went, love, I love that, because I do Although I like a lot of words and I use more than what's necessary to communicate my point, I do love it when people give me a quick, simple, no story, no problem. I loved it. So, uh, it's— this is— it's, it's so true. And then this past week at therapy, I got another reframe on this. So I've literally been repeating this to myself non-stop since I heard it. So I haven't been repeating no story, no problem, but that might, that might resonate with you. I'm gonna share this other thing. Okay, so all the time when we're talking to other people, they only give us so much to go on. So people show us either who they are or they tell us what they want us to know. And here in, in good old Nodak— so again, for my new listeners, we're in North Dakota— um, we're kind of a stoic bunch up here. Um, it's not common for people to give a lot away. And then there's me. I wrote a book called How Mommy Got Her Groove Back. And I chuckled as I was prepping for this episode because I remembered that I had written this about myself. This is like straight out of— it's an excerpt straight out of my book. So if I were a book on a bookshelf, I'd be the worn, well-read book with a broken spine, the book refusing to close all the way, popping back open as soon as you set it down. I have a tendency to give too much away. I share. Okay, so that's me, right? So when I'm— what, again, I'm— so I'm also intuitive, right? I've got this high, high, um, ability or desire to take people out into the future. Like, I love, I love thinking about what could be and might be and the possibilities. And then I'm also a sharer, so you're going to get all my feelings at the same time. Like, I realize as I say all of that, I don't sound like the kind of person you actually want to hang out with. That's okay, um, there's room for all of us, guys. It's fine. Okay, so, so what does a person with a 30 on the intuition scale of Myers-Briggs do with people that give very little away? What do I do? I fill in the blanks. Naturally. And the, and the things I fill those blanks in with are fanciful at best. So I was sharing this with my therapist because I was having particular challenge with an individual in my life, and here's how she described it. She said, okay, Rebecca, imagine that you're sitting with the person and they're holding a deck of cards. And now I'm gonna say it right now, this metaphor will fall apart if you start trying to say like, well, what game are we playing? Are we playing, you know, are we playing Texas Hold'em? Are we playing blackjack? Like, it doesn't freaking matter, okay guys? Metaphors are always a little bit loose, but I still think there's, there's a lot of value in this. So she says they've got a deck, they're holding a deck, and she said throughout, you know, your relationship, maybe it's the first time you're meeting them again. Like, imagine me, I would be like Here's my deck of cards, because I don't see a whole lot of value in holding cards close to the vest. It's just not who I am. But you might have somebody else that's like, they look at their top card and they go, um, you know, do I want to flip this over and show it to her, right? So throughout your relationship, maybe it's the first time, maybe it's the 15th time you've met with this person, they still get to control how many of their cards they decide to show you. So no matter how— okay, you can, you can, you can see that. You could like imagine this, right? They show— let's say they flip over, I don't know, 3 cards, right? And you can see them all. You can see the rest of the deck, and all day long you can guess, you can guess what the rest of the cards are. Like, you have no way of knowing. You have no way of knowing if it's an— if it's a full deck of cards. You have no way of knowing if it's a mixed deck of cards. You have absolutely no freaking way of knowing what is underneath the cards that they have flipped over. You have no way of knowing because you cannot see them. And until the next person shows you what's next, or the next however many they decide to share, you have no way of knowing what it is. So no matter what I tell myself about their motives for not playing another freaking card, It doesn't change that I can only see what they show me. So this is the thing that I've been repeating my— to myself since my therapist gave me this analogy. I kept saying, I can only see the top card. I have to make my decision about how to work with this person based on what they're showing me, not what I think is there. So this is about facts. This is, this is one of those tips for those of us that don't deal with the senses. We, we literally take the facts, the senses, the card I can see, the card I know what is. I could even touch the damn card, right? I can see it, I can feel it. If you want to smell it, if you— I don't know if you want to lick it, you could probably taste it too. Like, you guys, you can see it, right? It's right there. That's the fact. That's the only fact. So no story, no problem means just think about the story that you're adding to the facts that are presented there. It is incredibly human to add meaning to the things that we see. We all do this. But as a fellow meaning maker, let this reminder serve you well. If people are only showing you the top card, use that as the basis for what to do next. Does that card play well for you? Can you make use of that card? Is it— is that card helpful to you? If it doesn't and they're not willing to show you more, it really is okay. To move on. Okay, so it could be— so here's like the meaning piece, right? It could be that they don't trust you enough to show you another card, or it could be that they've been burned a thousand times by people by showing that next card. It could be that they think your idea sucks, or it could be that they're deeply afraid of change. Can you see it? Like, the meaning— it's the meaning that we add to the stuff that people give us that determines how we feel about them. And actually, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter at all if they're unwilling or unable to flip another card over for you. You can use what they show you to determine if you want to stay in the game with them or not. So literally, I have been walking around when I find myself feeling like— again, because I tend to get in this, um, like convincing mode, which is really unattractive and super unhelpful and unproductive. Um, I can't force people to see what I see, and that's, that's totally okay. So, you know, again, going back, if you, if you didn't listen to my Changemaking in a Small Town solo cast, that was also straight out of therapy, straight out of content, straight out of therapy. That's what this is. Um, I should almost call my new podcast Straight Out of Therapy and then just tell you all the good things I learned. Oh guys, it's, it's so tricky down here. So, um, if you didn't listen to that, it can, it can guide you a bit on how do we, how do we kind of lay more of the foundation for change, you know. So if you've got this person and you haven't presented them with anything new, um, why should they flip another card over for you, right? You could maybe— and again, it, it— unless you're gonna ask the question, why won't, why won't you tell me more? Why won't you— I mean, those are really direct questions. Depending on the nature of the relationship, you might have to do that. But if you ask, like, why won't you share more with me? And they say, because I just can't, or I won't. Most of the time you ask a person that, they don't have an answer because they don't actually know. So again, um, you can either continue to try a different route, give them different information, present the information differently, bring them along to have them see something, feel something, try something, whatever. We're going to get to that actually, number 4. But short of that, maybe you just have to recognize that they're not— maybe not willing and maybe not able, and the motive doesn't matter. Use what's actually been given to you. Okay, so again, number 1: no story, no problem. Okay, number 2, along the same line: assume good intent. So this is something that I think is pretty readily shared, um, but it fits beautifully with the point above. If people will not show us their motives, the best that we can do is guess. So how about instead of writing sad and desperate narratives about why people are acting the way that they are, just decide to believe that it's not because they're the scum of the earth. Nothing that they're doing is because of you anyway. And again, as a big vision holder, we want everybody on board. I literally have a sign of this really cool hand-printed piece of artwork. It's a print, um, from, uh, awesome little shop in Fargo, North Dakota, that says, I'm on the rise and I'm taking everybody with me. But I'm not taking everybody with me. I'm taking the willing with me. I love the will— or I work with the willing and I love the rest. And that's a really important thing to remember. Um, people, if it's— and it doesn't mean that you're not inspiring, it doesn't mean that you're not doing something right. This is people, right? So assume good intent. Use the facts. Those two things alone will help a ton. Okay, number 3: recognize the immense difference between a strong preference for sensing versus your strong preference for intuition. I, I just felt the need to make this a standalone point of its own because it is really, really challenging. And the truth is, the best ideas aren't just the ones that are the most creative and imaginative, they also are the ones that get executed well. So we need both. We need both in people. And so I know for me, I have got to surround myself with people that do have a sensing preference. I love talking to the dreamers. Oh my goodness, I love hanging out with the visionary people that, you know, the ones that also have this shared preference for Being imaginative and creative. I mean, of course I love that, but when it comes to actually making my ideas happen, I have to have people around me that can help me get that big vision down on paper. And I will say, I don't think I completely suck at execution. So this, and this is probably one thing, this is almost like my, it'll be my fifth point, I guess. Um, we don't get to use our preference for either end of that spectrum. As a crutch and as an excuse for why we can't do the other thing, right? Now, I actually think it's easier for big picture people to train themselves how to be somewhat detail-oriented. And again, this is more— this is just completely my observation. I think it's hard to ask people that really have a preference for what they can see, touch, and get their hands around to open up their minds and think bigger. I think it's a harder hill to climb for them. But you know what, it actually— it doesn't matter, it's equally uncomfortable. If you really have a strong preference for one or the other, having to be the other way is challenging. Okay, so really think about that, you know. So I would say for those of you that are listening, if you're, if you're listening to this and you're like, oh my gosh, this is so me, then you, you obviously you're, you're an intuitive or visionary kind of person. It's just to recognize how How this conflict comes about, and then what can I, you know, what can I do? And I would say at a minimum, if you, if you've never figured out which you are and you couldn't tell by the descriptors I gave, learn this about yourself. Um, because we run around expecting everybody else to be different when we're the only ones that can— we can only change ourselves. And I'm not saying you have to change, but you might have to adjust your approach. Because what we end up doing is saying, well, they suck, and then you still feel like you suck too. And that's not the answer here. Nobody sucks. I mean, actually, let's be real, some people do, uh, but for the most part, the people that we're dealing with that we feel like we're butting heads with, it's not, it's not a, a personal thing. Well, it is a personal thing. It's not, um, it's not a personality thing in the sense that they are trying to take us down. A lot of times they're— they just don't understand. So we need to bridge that gap. So the number 4, my 4th idea is actually an idea for how to do that. So, um, when we built— when I built and renovated my building for Growing Small Towns, um, one of our areas of programming that we focus on is arts and culture. I really believe in the power of being surrounded by art, uh, collaborating with artists. I just think they open us up in all sorts of ways. And so I knew that I wanted to approach, um, we have a club in our community that is dedicated to, to the arts. Um, they have been around for— I think they've actually been around for 50 full years. Someone will have to quote me on that or check me on that, but I'm pretty sure they've celebrated their 50th anniversary as a club, which is amazing, right? These long, long— these tenured people, it's incredible. And, um, which also means that some of them have been in this organization for quite a long time, and they are very used to the way they do things. So when I came along and I built this facility and I was like, we should partner, and then this, you could do this and you could do this and you could do that, and it was just like all the ideas. And I sat with them for 3 separate months of meetings, you know, basically trying to bridge that gap. And, um, now just today, so this is the one that just hit me today, one of the members was here because we in our building for them for the next month We are hosting an exhibit from the North Dakota Museum of Art. It's a rotating art exhibit. It's through the Rural Arts Initiative in partnership with the museum. And, uh, they've never been able to do that here in Oaks and have it on display. This is on display for over a month. They've never been able to do that because they've never had a dedicated space. So, and then earlier this spring, we hosted a an Irish trio, and we had over 140 people in my building, in our building, in this space enjoying this music. And it was their event and they hosted it here, and this partnership made that possible for them. And so I was talking to one of the members this morning who is, um, she's— they like— you have to have a locked facility, you have to have a climate-controlled, you have to have people that can staff it. Like, it's a whole thing, right? Because these pieces of art are, um, there's actual value to them. So she's here taking her shift this morning, and I said, gosh, I have loved having this here. It's only been here since, um, for about a week. And she goes, it is so— she's like, I know, it's so neat. And I said, I hope that you're all feeling really good about where we're at now. And she goes, oh, for sure. But she goes, you just have to remember— and then this is what she said— it's hard for us to imagine something we've never experienced before. And I looked at her and I said, of course it is. Of course it is. And I, I needed that reminder. And I hope that this is a good reminder for you today too, because when you're trying to bring something to a small community that hasn't ever been done in that community, it doesn't matter if it's happening everywhere else. Your idea might not be new, but if it's new to most of the people in your community, you're going to be surrounded by a lot of people that don't see it right away and don't get it. And again, you can feel whatever you want. If you want to be frustrated, that's fine. But we need to remember, those of us with like strong visions— and I'm a person that leaves this community, I leave this community for work, and everywhere I go, I'm looking for cool things to bring back here. So I'm kind of wired to be looking for things, like looking for opportunities, and also thinking about, gosh, like when I experience something in another place, I automatically think— I mean, if I love it, I think I would love to have that in Oaks. And then I think, how can I bring this to Oaks? What would a, what would a scaled version of that thing look like in Oaks? That is how my brain is wired. Yes, it's exhausting. If you're like, oh my God, I'm a sensor and I— that sounds exhausting. Yes. Yes, it is. It certainly is. But I'm constantly looking for these ideas, right? So of course, when I try to bring them back there, unless I'm talking to somebody that has also experienced that thing elsewhere, they're not going to see it. They're not going to get it. So here's the real tip. Okay, so she says it's hard for us to imagine something we've never experienced. My question is this: is there a way to let them experience it? Is there something, something you could try, something you could do? Is there a way to let them— you know, think of the 5 senses, right? Is there a way for them to see it? Is a way for them to touch it? Is there a way for them to taste it or smell it, you know, or hear it? And again, acknowledging that not all of that applies depending on what the thing is that you're trying to do, but can you engage any of their senses to help them quote unquote get it, right? After 6 months now of hosting events here, letting these ladies use our space, kind of have the freedom to brainstorm a little more broadly than they've been able to do in the past because this space is theirs now collaboratively, they are starting to get it. So can you offer a trial run of something? Can you say, let's just try it and, and get— and put a time limit on it, right? Like say, we're gonna try this for 3 weeks, we're gonna try this for 6 weeks. I don't know that there's a perfect ideal amount of time to give anything a shot because it really depends on how big the thing is that you're doing. But, you know, give them— give a trial, put— set a trial run on it and just say, we're going to keep checking in, and if it's not working, let's figure out what we could do different, and then continue to kind of tweak it. That's the kind of thing that people that have a preference for intuition, that's how we can support sensors, to give things a shot. And the other thing too is, you know, thinking about discounts. Like, is there a discount period that you could offer and like take away some of the fear of ex— you know, creating the expense or paying the money? Um, if it's— again, it's like, if that's, if that's an option for you. The thing is, just because people don't get your idea and, um, or they think it's crazy, or they think it's even quote unquote— here's my last quote, I think— ahead of its time, We, we just need to have patience and remember who we're likely dealing with— people that need just more facts and they need to understand it differently, right? So here's the deal, I, I think I do possess a handful of virtues maybe, but patience is not a front runner for Rebecca Undum. I'm not a patient individual, so this is, this has all been really valuable for me to process, and I'm processing it out loud in real time with you because I hope that these things help you as you're trying to land big things in your community. Um, this coming Thursday I'll be speaking to another community not much bigger than our town, and this is what we're talking about is how to, how to do big things in small steps. Some of this is going to become a part of that, um, because we— it tends to be that the people, um, with that visionary mindset are the ones that are going to really swing for the fences. And that's great. But you're going to have to think about how to bring people along with you, especially if you need support. So when the ones that didn't get it start to, start to get it, like the ones that initially said, I don't get it, when they start to understand it, I promise you, it not only is awesome, but it really is worth the wait. So that's where the patience— it really is worth it to see people come around. So that are— those are my 4 tips for you, um, today, for those of you that might, um, struggle with a bit of that free-flowing creativity. And that's not something to struggle with, and it certainly isn't something to suppress. We just need to learn how to harness it so that we can get things done, because just dreaming about it isn't the same as doing it. We learn when we actively get into it and try to make it happen, right? So, um, being that this is our 101st episode, I want to thank you just deeply from the bottom of my heart for listening to this show. And this is a fun fact, I'm excited to share this with you. Um, this podcast is in the top 25% of podcasts, broad— just broadly published, um, according to our listener statistics. It really has to do with, um, how many downloads happen within the first 7 days. Uh, top 25% feels pretty rad for, um, just a practicing person in community development work in a very, very, very small community. And to me, what this proves is that we really do need each other. We need to continue to look to each other. We need to continue to elevate the amazing work that's happening. So on that note, if you know a great person that would love to sit down and visit with us, please just shoot me a text or, you know, email me at director@growingsmalltowns.org. Elevating the work, that's what this is really about. And reaching into the tiniest little pockets in the most rural of places all over the country. We are so honored to tell stories together. So friends, until next time, just keep doing what you can with what you have right where you're at. You are awesome. And I can't wait to continue to hear your stories. If this episode spoke to you, by all means, shoot me a message. Let me know. And of course, share it, share it widely. With the other people that you know that are doing this kind of work too. It is so challenging because it is in fact quite tricky down here, uh, but it is so worthwhile, and I am so stoked to be on the journey with you all. Okay guys, see you next time.