10 Things About Me
Here I am, as promised. I wanted to honor all of you new subscribers and give a personal welcome. I'm guilty of assuming you already know me, or if you don't, it feels a little self-indulgent thinking you might want to know anything more than what's on my website or LinkedIn. But I'm going to put all those preconceptions aside and let you into my world. Even if I insist that coaching really isn't about me (it's about YOU!), I suppose you might want to know a little more about this person you're debating getting into a long-term, committed coaching relationship with. So let's get started with ten things you may or may not know about me, completely irrelevant to coaching.
1. I have a small face. It's a fact. My sister, who is older (two years) and taller (3 inches) constantly puts her hand up to my face to remind me how little it is. I also went to the German dentist recently who confirmed I have a small mouth, but immediately followed up by saying I have beautiful teeth so I felt redeemed. I don't really wear hats, and sunglasses always look huge on me, and at the moment I buy child-sized masks because they just fit better.
2. I really love a nice hotel. Growing up I was so lucky to travel with my family. We didn't take vacations, but we had adventures. That meant that where we stayed was merely a place to rest our heads, not somewhere to enjoy. I didn't learn the value of soft pillows, white sheets, and oversized tubs until my early 20s when my boss took me on a buying trip to New York City. I immediately understood the value of drinking beers from the mini-bar while soaking my feet in the tub after 10+ hours at the Javitz center. (If you know, you know.)
3. I love food, but I'm not an elaborate cook. My favorite meals to prepare for myself include any type of mixed roast vegetables, egg salad, and banana pancakes (not all together.) I've also been known to eat potato chips (San Carlo 1936 = favorite) and gummy bears for dinner.
4. I went bungee jumping in New Zealand. The jumping part was amazing, the standing on the ledge waiting for them to give me the "go-ahead" signal was the worst. I would definitely do it again.
5. I adore miniature things. There used to be a store called Seven Seas where I grew up. They had a back room filled with miniatures for your dollhouse. I was mostly infatuated with the mini foodstuffs but also loved the furniture. I didn't have a dollhouse, but I had miniatures. I still love finding tiny treasures and keeping them around my house. I like them because they travel easily and make me feel at home, seeing as I move around a lot.
6. I have no Italian ancestry. Most Italians and/or other ex-pats assume I came to Italy because of my heritage or for love. Neither. I came to study, stayed to live. According to Ancestry.com, I'm mostly Scottish, English, and Northern European/Germanic. My DNA suggests I'm part of the "Early New England Settler" crowd. Knowing that, I stick with identifying as American.
7. My favorite form of exercise at the moment is walking. I bought a smartwatch last summer (not a Fitbit, not an Apple watch, just a generic step counter with watch) and love the satisfaction of getting 10,000 steps a day. I don't always succeed, but I try. I do love yoga too, but I've never been successful at having a home practice (there's still time!). I joined a women's gym when living in rural Sicily and participated in aerobic/Zumba type classes with mostly middle-aged women. We took a lot of breaks and chatted, mostly about food.
8. I don't like podcasts. It's a very unpopular truth right now. But I love reading. I feel so much more engaged with words rather than sounds. I can listen to things if I'm walking, but I also like music or silence when I'm on the move. I read a ton. I'm always looking for suggestions in the fiction realm (especially a fan of historical fiction + magical realism) but I also have a million books on my list. I'm currently reading Coventry by Rachel Cusk.
9. I feel naked without earrings in. I've been getting more used to not wearing them in the past year as I've been more home-centric, but I still feel a little bit missing if I don't have earrings in. In the past I loved long dangly earrings, then I went through a small, simple stud phase. Recently I got a pair of elegant hand-hammered gold hoops from my mom that I really love.
10. This is hard. It feels strange to share everyday things with people who might not know me. But here I am! I'd love it if this could be a conversation starter for us to get to know each other better. I appreciate you following along as always, hope to hear from you too!
You can email me here or sign up for a time to chat (no strings attached).
Let's share this journey together!
Sending sunshine,
Henna
PS: That's me eating shave ice in Hawaii. Don't love it, absolutely don't hate it.