Pineapples?

As I launched my coaching business and exchanged business cards with potential clients and fellow coaches the one thing I have been constantly asked when I hand them mine is:

Why Pineapples?

Well that’s a great question and honestly, I wasn’t prepared for it. I was waiting for questions like: What is coaching? What makes you a good coach? And why should I hire you?

But pineapples? What the heck does that have to do with coaching?

Well, the honest answer is, the pineapple represents who I am; warm, welcoming and friendly.

Now that I think of it though it does also remind of one of my lessons learned in life. When I was young, I hated pineapples. My mom put them on ham, in fruitcake and whatever else she could think of. To me they tasted bitter, acidic and like the tin can they came out of. Yuck! (No offence to my mom, she's an amazing cook! )

When I was much older and on a vacation with my soon to be husband, I ordered one of those fruity cocktail drinks that looks so tasty and refreshing. This one had a pineapple piece for a garnish but it didn’t look like the pineapple I grew up with so…I tried it. I was blown away! What a sweet tasty succulent fruit. Where was it all my life? For the rest of the trip and to this day I can't get enough of that sweet fruit.

So what changed?

Was it because I was much older and my taste buds changed? Was it my perspective?Was it fresh vs canned? It was probably all the above and more. What I do know is, that if I hadn’t found the courage to look at the pineapple in a new and different way and just said yuck, I would sadly be missing out on one of my most favourite fruits!

So what are you going to look at in a new positive way today? You may surprise yourself with what you find!