30 Days until 2017!

It's been a busy day on this the first How Am I Doin' Friday of December.
First an early morning trip to NYC to set up the showroom. Then some plumbing repair work at the shop. After that a quick market run for dinner fixin's.
Now All of my emails have been cleaned up ,dinner is on or in the oven and I still have a few hours of quality time to gather myself for the New York show next week. Without Becky, some of the little things that I never would remember to take care of , are suddenly popping across my desk. Like making sure I have catalogs and office supplies for the show. 
Instead of running around chasing these things, I will use the rest of my day to map out what needs to be taken care of and then use tomorrow to get them all done.
It's always the same scenario. I know a show is coming. I begin preparing weeks in advance.Yet somehow, the last few hours before show time are always fraught with deadlines and stress. 
What did I forget?
Wow,wouldn't it be great if....?
Do I have every thing I need?
Do I have clothes to wear?
Am I prepared?
Are all of the i's dotted and t's crossed?
As I am writing to you an email pops up one of 2 boxes I need for the show was delivered by Fedex.
So where is the other?
There are 3 or 4 or 6 phone calls to be made.
Who else and what else am I forgetting?
Guess what?
It's all good!
Somehow t will all get done .
And if something gets missed ,no big deal.Tomorrow is another day and that means another opportunity.
If I were the unorganized sort these things might be troubling.If I were not as good at my job as I am,I might be more concerned.
If I wasn't the consummate professional that I am I might be worried.
I have been doing this for a very long time.
I am very good at what I do.
I am confident in my abilities.
And I am comfortable in knowing that as I always do,I have put forth my best efforts.
So that's that!
It's kind of like throwing a party.
All I can do is hang some decorations,put out some refreshments and then step back and let what ever will be be.
It's a lesson I learned a long long time ago!
Shabbat Shalom!

 The 30 Day Happiness Challenge!

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December Word of the Month:Reverent

(feeling,exhibiting or characterized by reverence;Deeply respectful)

And with that I have now had completed a year of celebrating with a word of the month. 12 months,12 words. To review they were:

Trustworthy ,Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous,Kind ,Obedient, Cheerful,Thrifty , Brave,Clean and Reverent. 

Okay I have to share with you. As I typed these in I kept coming up with only 11. I read and reread the list over and over. I have had these 12 words ingrained in me since I was 12 years old? Why only 11? 

Which one was I missing? Can you guess? 

I bet you can. After rereading the list at least 8 or 9 times the missing word was................

CHEERFUL!

(Gee what a surprise!)

So if you haven't figured it out yet, these are not just random words that I chose to use as my collection of words of the month. They are in fact the Boy Scout Law, 12 attributes that every good scout should incorporate into his life. It is a life lesson that I learned at a very young age and that has stuck with me ever since.

Scouting for many growing up laid the groundwork for developing boys into young men for generations.

It is true that in recent years, participation in scouting is on the decline. I have to admit, I think this is a bad thing.There is a direct traceable connection to the decline in participation in scouting and the decay of these virtues in the youth of our country.

Here's are some interesting statistics:

• 35.4 percent of the United States Military Academy (West Point) cadets were involved in Scouting as youth. 
• 14.7 percent of cadets are Eagle Scouts.

I believe that says it all.

 So why wouldn't I take the opportunity over the last 12 months to reintroduce these virtues and values into my life?

They always have been a part of who I am. I decided early on this year to incorporate a word to focus on for an entire month. The Scout Law popped into my head immediately. 

12 months,12 words,12 virtues.

It was just that simple.

I have been reminded time and time again that to develop a new habit and have it stick takes 21 days.Every month this year had a minimum of 29 days.

There you go!

12 good habits .

My bucket list of new good habits for 2016 is now complete.

I have carried these words with me for 50 years,ever since I became a Boy Scout.

If I could have a do over in life, I would have done what ever I could have to become an Eagle Scout. I fell short of that ,a story for another time or perhaps a bitter memory that is better left buried in the past.

These 12 virtues?

Well they never left me. They never got buried. In fact they became so deeply rooted in me I know in my heart of hearts, I would have made a great Eagle Scout.

There is of course that one......

CHEERFUL?

 The 30 Day Happiness Challenge!

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The rain continues! 

Today it is a little less attractive. The constant patter it created yesterday has given way to intermittent out bursts that are not as soothing.The temperature has warmed a bit bordering on balmy. Not exactly the weather one might expect the last day of November in the Northeast.
It's 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I have been busy all morning,with what I don't exactly know. Never the less , I find myself feeling a little behind schedule,even though I have no real schedule or agenda to address.I guess what I am feeling is a lack of progress or productivity..
I have gotten a number of things done already today, I have had some energetic phone calls. However it feels more like a workout on a treadmill than climbing and actual mountain or actually taking a hike. Constant motion with out really getting anywhere.
I have a 2:30 phone meeting and a commitment after dinner.
I think stepping away from my desk for a while,grabbing some lunch and then settling back in for a few hours of some quality time sounds like a good plan. That is if I can figure out what exactly quality time might look like today.
How often have I heard a baseball commentator say that a pitcher who pitches 30 or so starts a year may have 4 or 5 really good days and 4 or 5 really awful days.The other 20 plus starts are just a matter of grinding it out and finding a way to succeed. 
The really great pitchers are the ones who understand this and meet the challenge of a grind it out day.

Today is one of those grind it out days.Time to take that break before I return to the mound!

 The 30 Day Happiness Challenge!

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Here comes that rainy day feeling again!

It's a rainy day today. The weather report says that this will continue over the next 48 hours. It's dark and dreary,and wet and blustery and I love it!
I have always found the proverbial silver lining on days like today. It's easy to be in a god mood when the Sun is shining and the weather is perfect. Still I find real comfort in stormy days. I appreciate coming in from the cold on a day like today. When there's a chill in the air, I simply grab a sweater or a hoodie and wrap myself in it. When rain is falling,it's just a reminder to put on a jacket or coat and to make sure I cover my head.I know it sounds crazy but inclement weather makes me feel good.When I come in contact with others on a rainy or stormy day, I am extra vigilant in making sure I smile and greet people. It's amazing how much that seems to brighten up their moods. When I get a smile in return it's just awesome!
The down side is that on rainy days,we tend to track in the dirt and wet from outdoors with us Each time I let the dogs out, I know they will be tracking mud and leaves and whatever else back in with them. It requires me to make sure I have a towel in hand when I let them back in and to stop them before they go traipsing through the house leaving a swath of grime behind them.Armed with any number of towels I wipe them down,first their torsos,then their feet and eventually I still must wipe the floor. All the while being careful not to get this crud all over myself in the interim.
Maintaining on a rainy day takes work.I have to be proactive. I think that's why I appreciate this type of weather so much. On a bright sunny carefree day,I find that I take a lot for granted.That's not quite as easy when the weather turns foul.
Susan has done a marvelous job training the dogs . On days like today,they know to wait by the door when they come back in to get wiped don. I think they enjoy being wrapped in a warm dry towel and having us massage them as we dry them off.
When I let our big guy out I leave the door just slightly ajar. He knows he can push it open and let himself in which he does on a regular basis. He heads straight for his favorite resting spot under the dining room table. Except on days like today,when he bursts through the door and stops and looks at you as if to say,"I'm here.....lets cuddle!".
Yep.....I love rainy day!

We've made it to the half way point of the 30 Day Happiness Challenge!

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Looking up from the bottom............

With Susan down at her parent's house last night, I found myself up and about and on task earlier than usual today.By mid morning I had already addressed a number of items that were must do's today.
A good part of this was due to the state in which I found myself when I awoke this morning. For the last few weeks, no months,my life has felt as if I was tumbling down a hill.On a daily basis that tumble continued. I never lost sight of the bottom of the hill. Along the way,I rolled over rocks and branches,bumped into logs and trees and generally took a beating.All the way down, I knew that I would survive the fall,however,it would not be without pain. 
When I awoke this morning, I felt as if the tumble down the hill had stopped.
I felt covered in dirt and debris. I could feel the sting of the scrapes and bruises that had accumulated on the way down.However, I definitely felt as though I was laying face down at the bottom.
It felt as if the slide had ended.
Now the choice is do I just lay here and experience pain? Do I collapse and give in to the aches,scratches and bumps and bruises or do I pick myself up,and figure out how to move on?
Well that's a no brainer. Getting up is easy enough.It is also the critical first step.
Trust me, there are still many wounds that were inflicted on the way down. To say I am moving gingerly would be an understatement.The good news is I am up and about.
I can now begin to assess the damage and evaluate the landscape and how I get myself moving forward once again.As with any rehab, the process is slow. It is also the same.
It starts with one step.
And then another.
And then another.

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Wisdom from a 10 year old....

All but 2 of our Thanksgiving guests were adults.There were 2 children, ages 4 and 10.When seating every one this year I decided that I would sit next to and across from either one of them.I wanted to make sure that they were engaged and part of this other wise very grown up experience. Little did I know how much I would get out of my choice. 
As we settled in and made our way through the meal,the older sister posed a question.
"What's the difference between being smart and being wise?" she asked.
That one stopped me in my tracks. Her dad sat there stumped and soon looked to me to provide an answer. He prompted her to ask the question again, this time directing it to me.
She looked me squarely in the eye and repeated her initial query.
Relishing the opportunity to help answer this for her, I explained how being smart was about acquiring knowledge. The more knowledge you have , the more things you know, the smarter you are. 
Wisdom on the other hand I explained, is knowing when and how to apply that knowledge.
Every one has some level of smart.
There are many people who are very very smart. That does not however make them wise or give them wisdom. 
My answer did not confuse her at all. It seemed like she understood completely.In fact, she sat upright in her chair as if I had armed her with just the ammunition she was looking for.
She turned to her dad and said "so, I guess your decision to take away our crayons may have been a smart one but not a very wise one."
OOOOPs!
(This felt like a set up!)
He stated his case for doing what he had done and it seemed logical. 
She sat back and confidently replied,"well I guess that you think it was a smart choice,it just doesn't seem like it was a wise one".
There was nothing else that should be said....however, he kept trying to make his case,digging himself into an ever deepening hole.
She's 10. She understood the difference between smart and wise.
There was no argument. She was articulate and respectful.She listened and gave her view of the situation. And she had the wisdom to accept that she had done what she had set out to accomplish.She had found a way to address something that had been troubling her in a very mature and well thought out way. She had used her wisdom.
Obviously her wisdom left its mark on me.This happened 4 days ago and I am still thinking about it. Not just about the question,but how it showed up in the real world that day.
Wisdom from a 10 year old.
Shavua Tov!

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On Being Ordinary.......

In something I wrote the other day, I referred to myself as ordinary. The idea of being ordinary has been stuck in my head ever since then. I find it a little bit weird that I am actually pretty comfortable being ordinary. One would think that our egos would drive us to want to be extraordinary, to be the best or to be special. Well for me,I believe I can be both. How's that you may ask?
Simple. Being ordinary is not the same as being average. Average is where someone or something might fall on a scale of some sort. You take the sum total of any set, divide that by the population of the set and you can then find the average. A simple mathematical equation. Being ordinary is not the same thing. I for one excel at being ordinary. My excellence at ordinary in fact, makes me extraordinary.
I cook the same way. I take pretty basic ingredients ,throw them together and produce unbelievably extraordinary meals.Really....ask my family.
Leftovers? You know the stuff that is in all of those containers that clutter your refrigerator. In my kitchen these become epicurean delights.I take ordinary and make it special.
I realize this sounds a bit braggadocios. It's really not. It is actually a very real perspective of who I am. I am an ordinary guy, who leads an ordinary life and always goes about it seeking maximum results.
It explains why I never pursued acting or sports or music or any of a number of things that I enjoyed doing. I was good at a bunch of things. I participated to the best of my abilities. I was never gifted in any of them.I was in fact ordinary,which made the levels of success I achieved in any of these en devours seem so extraordinary.
This has also been one of my biggest stumbling blocks in moving forward with my book.To me, it's the ordinary chronicles of an ordinary guy who leads an ordinary life with the ordinary challenges that most every one faces from time to time. When I share that with my editor or mentors their response is "EXACTLY!".
I don't get it.
Why is this so exciting to them?
I actually love being ordinary. When I was dating,trust me, I was always dating way out of my league.
I married way above "ordinary".
I look around at my very ordinary house and my very ordinary possessions and I feel blessed that they have all come together to make such an extraordinary home.
I suppose that's who I am. An ordinary man. 
I may in fact be the super hero of ordinary. Call me Ordinary Man!
My chest emblazoned with the initials O.M. for ordinary man.
Wait......O.M. .....as in OM....Om...Om...
How peaceful is that!

Extraordinary!

Shabbat Shalom!

Speaking of marketing joy and happiness!

Join my brother and Why Wait Coaching's 30 Day Happiness Challenge.

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