In the Meantime

“True courage is taking another small step each day toward achieving your vision.”

Jonathan Lockwood Huie

I have been working on a project for a few weeks that in my eyes will ultimately be a huge game changer in my life.My hopes were to have it wrapped up by the end of the month changing a lot in my approach to my daily activities. After meeting this morning with one of the other players involved in this adventure, I have found out that my end of January target is probably more like the end of February. My initial reaction was "geez....I was really hoping to have this wrapped up sooner.....". Although I did not say that, it was certainly what I was thinking.My next thought was "so now what?". Do I sit on pins and needles as we slog through the process? Do I stress out for the next 45 days , waiting, hoping, dreaming , envisioning, or worse worrying that it falls apart?

The answer is none of the above.I am now existing in the "in the meantime".

In the meantime.....

Here is where I am.

Here is what I have.

Here is what I need to be accomplishing and working on.

I can't change this 45 day window. Let it go!

Let the river flow.Eventually it will run its course.In the meantime, life goes on. There are many other chores,tasks, and responsibilities to be handled,none of which are wishing, hoping, wondering or imagining.

Life in the meantime.

It's all good!

If I Can Dream

 "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."

Robert F. Kennedy

There are times when I lose track of the path I've been on, where I have been and the roads that I have traveled on.I am never one to spend a lot of time "reflecting" or dwelling on the past.This morning I had a reminder of a part of my Journey that I had not thought about in quite some time.It was around this time 6 years ago. Thanks to a dear friend of mine, I had become involved in a multi-level marketing company.On a weekly basis we attended meetings that while designed to engage new prospects,served as a constant source of inspiration and energy for those of us already involved.Speeches by those who had "made it",and who were climbing the ranks,left me feeling"this could be me someday".When you did finally make it to the top, the celebration and spectacle that surrounded your coronation was an unbelievable experience.Those who rose to the highest ranks were lauded with their special celebration, held at the semi-annual conventions where literally 10's of thousands of participants took part. While attending one of these conventions,I took the liberty of imagining what it would be like on the day that I would be standing on that stage.In the midst of my weightloss at that time, I even knew what I would wear for the event. I also picked the song that would be playing as my family, friends and business partners stood by my side.

For about a month or so after that convention, I would start each day by listening to that song.I would close my eyes and allow myself to dream.Dream of what at the time seemed like an unimaginable  life. Dream about what it would feel like to be happy.Dream about being significant.

Today, as I reached for the control to the heat which had finally come up in my Jeep, I heard the first notes of that song start to play on the radio.Not wanting the blowers to interfere with the music,I instead turned volume foregoing the much needed change in temperature. The next thing I knew , I was magically transported back in time. I was sitting erect behind the wheel. I found myself singing along with the music which was getting louder and louder at each verse. The cold morning evaporated as I belted out each stanza culminating with what can only be described as my roaring voice echoing inside of my car.

So I will share this song with you. 

Sit back. 

Take a deep breath. 

Click this link .

Turn up the volume. 

Close your eyes. 

And dare to dream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-pP_dCenJA

Jury Duty-Update

EXCUSED!

('Nuff Said!)

What a way to start the week!

Jury Duty

 "Don't ruin a good day by thinking about a bad yesterday."

~ Zig Ziglar

I was truly looking forward to returning to a normal work week schedule for the first time in what seems like months. No holidays. No school closings. No cancellations of the County bus.Just my plain old boring work week. Then I remembered that I ave jury duty on Monday. Well isn't that special!

I know, it's my civic duty blah,blah, blah.....What it is is a supreme waste of my time and a major disruption and inconvenience to me.Does any one get excited when they get that notice in the mail that they have jury duty?I contend that if you do, you my want to start reading some personal growth books or take a few courses at your local adult school. anything that may help to broaden your social life!The worst part is they send you the notice months in advance so it hangs like a spector, a grey cloud over your head forever. You circle the date on your calendar,first in red the in black.Who needs this interruption in their routine? In 1973 the U.S. ended the draft. Somehow,we still have an army.It's a volunteer oneand is doing just fine. why can't we have a volunteer jury pool. I would volunteer on my day off. I'm sure that others would do the same. I think if promoted properly, people would step up and do the right thing.But no,here's government getting in the way once again. Why not open the courts on the weekends when most people have a day off?Heavens no, that would never happen!

I am so looking forward to being herded like cattle, shepherded from room to room,cut of from the outside world for what?Oh right, to fulfill my civic duty.

If you haven't figured it out by now,I'm not a fan of the whole jury duty thing.

Talk about your basic eat the frog day.

Yichhhhhhhhhhhh!

Shabbat Shalom!

I am David Spiegel and this is 2020

"Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."

Charles Dickens

I mentioned the other day that the new year did not bring a plethora of BHAGs with it (Big Hairy Audacious Goals). For me it was more like business as usual. Of course business as usual for me means always working towards being a better representation of me today than I was yesterday. As 2019 was ending, I found myself stumbling towards some imaginary finish line.It felt like that stumbling started in October and continued to build momentum right up until New Years Day.When you stumble things get out of control. First there's that falling feeling. Then things seem to speed up. Soon,your arms are flailing and before you know it you are completely out of control.

In this case,I have to be encouraged that I didn't fall flat on my face. Somehow, I managed to catch myself and regain my composure. At least enough to avoid a fall.Now it's time to right the ship. It's time to take control of all of the little and not so little things that came off of the rails during my year end stumble.

You know the little things like health,finances,self-improvement,appearance,mind set,fitness,and writing. Yes,writing!

All of those little things which right about now aren't feeling so good to me. It's time to get back to paying attention. Time to be present in my own life.Time to lead my life not let life lead me.

I Am David Spiegel and this Is 2020!

2020 Hindsight

"Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."

Charles Dickens

So what is 20/20 hindsight?

20/20 hindsight is what appears in the rearview mirror.I for one, hate going there.20/20 hindsight is usually followed by "if only I had.....".

Well guess what?

I didn't!And the only thing I can do with that information is to remind myself the next time I find myself in a similar situation.I can't change the past. Nor is the past a roadmap for the future. It is a tool that I may find useful at some point in time.

Does this rub against my "Keep Telling the Stories" mantra for 2020?

Not really. Telling the stories is part of the reminder. That's completely different than living in or trying to change the past. The past after all is in the past.

"If only I had....".

"If only I did....".

"If only I had not....".

Not even part of the conversation!

Been there done that.

Now that opens the door to opportunity!When I was there and did that,how did it turn out for me?

That's when 20/20 hindsight may be of value to me.

2020 hindsight is the same as 2019 or 2018 or any year I pick.

It's all part of the story.It's a great story.

So Keep Telling the Stories!

2020 Vision

“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.”

Norman Vincent Peale

My inbox has been filled with emails encouraging me to set new BHAGS for 2020. BHAGS..............Big Hairy Audacious Goals.Not just those New Year's resolutions that people make and then fail o follow up on,but the well thought out plan for making a better life.Lose weight,exercise, get a new job,take a big vacation,save more money, go back to school,volunteer at whatever.Do that "thing" that I've been putting off forever.

None of this seems to pertain to me. As a matter of fact, I find myself doing little more than treading water at this point in time and for now, that feels like enough.I'm not saying this feels good or is particularly productive in any way shape or form. I just know that starting a new project of any sort, just for the sake of doing something, would be a monumental waste of time and energy.A few weeks ago I put something in motion. Like planting any crop, there is a period of time when all you can do is step aside and wait. Wait until that planting sprouts ,at which point you can nurture it. In the meantime, all you can do is go about your daily chores.And wait!

Planting something else would be counterproductive. So would walking away. Instead,I just grind through my daily routine until such time as I can see exactly what it is I planted and what I can do with it now that I have identified it. So for now, my 2020 vision is fairly nearsighted. Handle what's on my plate and wait.

BHAGS?

Well maybe later,just not right now

And for the time being I am more than okay with that.