We've Noticed with Amy & Hayley
One year out from last March, and so much has changed. It’s raining outside my window and, as I get my laptop set up, it occurs to me that Zoom calls seem like they’ve always been the norm by this point. We’ve got the use of natural lighting down by now. Amy hops on to the video call with a, “Good morning!” Not missing a beat, she’s bright and ready to start the chat at 8am.
Hayley:
Good morning! How have you been liking this rain? We’re definitely getting into springtime!
Amy: I am ready for it to be sunshine, but it smells like spring, so that makes me happy.
Hayley:
There are little green buds on trees. So it's coming!
Amy:
It's coming.
Hayley:
Have you read any good books lately? Amy: Well, I just finished listening to Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey, and it is so good.
Hayley:
Okay, that's very cool. It's all about the lessons he's learned through his experiences. He basically published his journals.
Amy:
Yes. The stories seem larger than life, yet really grounded in principle. I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot from it, too.
Hayley: Is there anything that you've been doing with the weather changing to get out in nature?
Amy:
Every day that's been warmer, I've been hitting the trail and I'll take a pause to breathe in the fresh air. It's amazing to get back out there, and see people smiling and saying hi. There’s an energy to the air when we’re all excited to be out and see each other.
Hayley:
One thing that’s been really exciting to see is how these Noticed Bracelets have finally come out. It was so remarkable to get these updates from you for months—the conversations with Allison, the color combination decisions, picking the materials so carefully—and then to see it finally released!
How has it been for you getting to finally release that and share what you've been working on?
Amy:
It has been so great to see what I thought would work, work. There’s a learning curve to quality product development, and as you know, I never really wanted to be in the product business. I do it because these products really help anchor the message for people and give real reminders to Notice goodness.
I am not a market research expert. I am a Noticing expert. So to actually see the bracelet resonate with people, it’s been beautiful to get feedback that these work for everyone. Men and women, boys and girls—the fact that people want to wear them and hold that reminder has been really, really fun for me.
Hayley:
You light up talking about Deborah’s Legacy. I know that partnership is really important.
Amy: It absolutely delights me that Deborah's Legacy is partnering with us, and that the makers truly understand the value of being Noticed.
Hayley: I know you took a trip to meet with all the women working on it before these came out.
Amy:
I did get to meet with some of the women, and I got to see the space where they are made. I got to sit at the table with them back in the early stages, so I'm looking forward to traveling back and getting to hear their individual stories. Hopefully that will be happening soon.
Hayley:
Anything else feel exciting in the world?
Amy:
I always love this opening of spring. It’s such a reminder to make fresh starts, and follow the notion of spring cleaning. There’s been so much happening in the businesses over the past year, that I’ve found myself taking time to clean out my files, closets, and just get organized. It’s really given me clarity, and lightened the load.
Hayley:
That’s a great way to use the time right now.
Amy: The clarity comes from getting a chance to spring clean and spend time in that space. One tip that I love, I got from Robyn Stevens, a local Feng Shui expert. She said, “If you ever need clarity, clean your windows.”
So I have been doing that, and my focus gets sharper. I've done it when I've been overwhelmed, and it's like a magic moment.
Hayley: Being purposeful. Amy: Exactly. Hayley: Clearing old things out is a really good way of simplifying so that you can see what's important.
Amy:
Yes. I think a lot of times we don't do it because we feel bad about having clutter and actually, it can be very smooth if we Notice goodness in that process. Just taking a minute to let go of the hard, or the things that aren’t needed anymore.
Hayley:
Spring is good for that. It feels good to look forward.
Amy:
It's really a delightful process. Looking forward, one thing that's got me super excited to get out and about are the recent blogs that you have written about what’s happening in the city. As the weather warms up, I'm looking forward to visiting these really cool businesses and hopefully meeting the people involved with them. Just getting to go see and Notice good people.
Hayley:
Is there any one that has stood out to you for a Noticed Shout Out recently? Amy: For I Am Noticed this past week Jaime & I have done virtual training with educators and, wow... Do teachers ever have a lot on their plate. This past Friday we found out during our professional developments that there are forty nine days left in the school year.
During the Professional Development time that we've gotten to spend with these AMAZING educators we were asking: "What is your why?", and it was so inspiring to hear them talk about the care they have for the kids, teaching kids, inspiring them to use their voices, and providing safe places wherever school is taking place, just to name a few things. We had conversations about what it could look like to focus on well-being, in the midst of a crazy climate where you're trying to provide for everyone. It's been a tall order. I know the hope is to finish the year strong and to be ready for kids to come back next year, and that resilience is so inspiring to me. So it's an important shout out because we could talk all day about how much educators have done during all of this.
Hayley: With people choosing between hybrid schedules or having to learn from home, it has really shown just how much teachers do.
Amy:
Absolutely. It would be hard to even take inventory of everything that happens in school for a day. One cool thing is that Jaime and I just got to present at an in person conference last week,-- the first time in a year! It was the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principles, and our topic was: You cannot not do culture. I can tie that so much into this work of The Noticed Network.
There have been a lot of times it may have been hard to Notice goodness in this last year, but you cannot not do culture. So for those people who read this blog, follow us on social, are Noticing people with Noticed Products, are committed to Noticing goodness and wanting positivity in their feed—I am going to give my second Shout Out to them. Because even though it's taken a lot of courage to choose to notice goodness this past year, that goodness has definitely impacted our culture.
All those ripples have been important, and will continue to be. I love that we're in it together.
