MIBism 017: Success Driven, Passion Ridden
I spent the last week at my computer, on the phone, creating excel spreads, in my sweatpants, taking care of a sick 10 year old, working on several small projects while carving out the Big One (The Makeover Show) around writing deadlines. How do I manage to stay on track, tuned in to what must be done, and performing to my best ability? How do I manage to bring the best of me out when I’m going at it alone? Just like many of you independendent, self-employed managers of your health, your work, your home, and your spirit? How do I remind myself that every task I take on is a link in the chain of events that must take place to get me to where I want to go?
There are 2 important things to have in order to bring fullfillment in your pursuit of success and those are hard work and talent. Finding what you love to do, knowing what your strengths and being able to use them in your work is key. To shine, to stand out above the rest in your league, profession, or competition is the work and dedication you apply to the innate talents that reside within.
If hard work is the engine of success and talent is the guy behind the wheel then fuel is what you need to make it go. Passion is the fuel to keep you truckin’onward, to not quiet the voice of negativity and the questionable comments others will make to derail you.
Do only what you love, put your heart in your work, success will find you.
MiBism 018: Parking, Pleas & Pet Peeves
I have been living in the same house for what will be 20 years this February. As long as we have lived here we have abided by the same parking restrictions: No parking on my side of the street from 9am – 4 pm and no parking on the other side from 4 pm – 9 am. The sign in front of my house has not moved, changed or been replaced by any new and improved formula. If we’re leaving a car overnight we know (without having to think) what side of the street to occupy.
Three weeks ago my husband grabbed his briefcase and to-go coffee, shouted “good-bye” and was about to turn the key in his lock when he noticed a ticket on the windshield. He was cited for a$32.00 parking violation. The car parked behind us was also ticketed but all the other cars up the street were not.
I happen to live directly across the street from our town councilman, Morris, so we knew who to call. Especially since the only other car to be wrongfully found in violation, belonged to him!
Apparently, an MUC patrol car whom we are all assuming, was a rookie cop behind the wheel whipped out the ticket book and began to scribble. Wow, he must have been thinking, a very long street with so many cars in violation. I’ll write these tickets and fill my quota and rest on my laurels the rest of month. Sure he hit the motherlode until he reached the 2nd car, ours, which was parked conveniently under the sign that proves our legal right to be there. He must have started the ticket before reading the sign so he finished up, returned to his patrol car with some degree of embarrassment I’m sure, and pulled away leaving us with his mistake to clean up.
With Morris’ help, who checked with the DDO man in charge of such things, we were advised to plead not guilty on the back of the ticket and that should end this nonsense.
So we wrote our “not guilty” plea:
“Dear Sirs,
We received a parking ticket for parking legally on the right side of the street directly under the same sign that has been posted in front of my house for at least as long as I reside here (approaching 20 twenty years.) This sign indicates Parking 4 pm – 10 am in no uncertain terms. The ticket was issued at 1:24 am.
Also note that the patrolman ticketed only two of the eleven cars parked as we were. We plead not guilty.”
Here’s where red tape makes me see red. Whoever processed our plea returned it to us indicating that it must go to the next step: They actually want it taken to court!
It’s $32.00, by no means a huge amount of money and the time and energy that must go into fighting makes little sense to me so, there’s a part of me that wants to write the darn cheque and get it over with but then I wrestle with the other part; my rebellious, fighting, stand up for what’s right self wants to make a mockery of the system. I want my five minutes at the pedestal to berate the cop who made the mistake, the clerk who processed our plea and the hole in the system that makes this possible.
My days are overrun with all kinds of wonderful things to do and obligations to get to. When thrown a curve ball such as this ridiculous ticket I tend to reflect on how I spend my precious time. Devoting an afternoon to reiterate the ridiculous in person just doesn’t qualify as time well spent – I resent that. Wrongfully written parking tickets, evidenced pleas of innocence that go unnoticed and lack of basic common sense peeve me off!
MIBism 019: What Really Matters
When bad things happen to good people it causes me to pause for a moment and think about the complexities of life. Merely weeks before the Christmas trees go up and the Chanukah candles shine their light through kitchen windows, Bombardier announced another relentless round of layoffs. 715 families will suffer the consequences of joblessness at a time when commercial pamphlets are making daily appearances in our mailboxes, shouting, begging, and demanding that we buy what they're selling. Don't pay now, pay later. Slashed prices. Buy one get ½ off. At this time of year I approach the mailbox anticipating perhaps the odd greeting card or hand written note but no, it's overstuffed with bills to pay and newspaper flyers,exclamation marks and markdowns and it all makes me wonder; what really matters at this time of year?
Technology in audio visual equipment and marketing genius would have us believe that what we bought two or three years ago is outdated today. The dreaded fear of itch by grotesque bedbugs has us wanting to replace our mattresses. My mailbox is shouting at me but I'm turning a blind eye and blocking my ears.
The bombardment of "buy-me, buy-me" will dictate that we can't go on a road trip without a GPS so buy one now. We can't make an omelet without their new and improved pan so get it now. We can't dry ourselves after a shower without their brand of Egyptian cotton towel so what are we waiting for?
With so many lives turned upside down by companies that are downsizing employees, freezing salaries and eliminating bonuses, and with the cost of living on a perpetual climb up a very steep hill with no summit in sight we are all vulnerable. These are very difficult times for many people and I think about that. I think about how blessed I am that my husband suffered his not-so-gentle removal from Bombardier just in time to be behind a new desk and at a new address before this recession came tumbling down.
Who could have predicted 3 years ago, that one new job and 3 years later we would be grateful for having suffered the stress and turmoil of an unexpected job dismissal after 28 years of undying, dedicated service? Yes, I know the world doesn't stop turning with every injustice but come on: 715 Montreal area families have been blown out of Bombardier's payroll and I stopped. I took a few deep healing breaths and empathetically, gratefully, said thanks.
The holidays are around the corner and the world is in turmoil but we can set things right. If you 're one of those people who is feeling the pinch then might I suggest setting your eyes and thoughts on all that is already before you. What will carry you through the tough times?
It was the small things that carried me through my time and still lift me up when I need to be lifted. Small things like the sleepy sweetness in Joy's voice when she says "I love you Mommy" as she hugs me good night. Like knowing Jamie is safely home by the sound of the garage door opening. Like the devious look in Sammy's eyes when he's about to play a joke on me. Like having dinner together as a family. Like watching my Golden Doodle chase leaves. Not least of all, knowing that seven nights a week, I get to slide into bed next to Nick secure that he's there for me and I'm there for him. That's invaluable. That can't be bought. That has to count for something! That's the stuff that makes the holiday season festive, bright and memorable. The small stuff.
Humankind has a remarkable capacity to bring meaning to what we already have and in practicing the celebration of the everyday miracle of waking up to a new day with new possibility, we can tough out the tough times.
Never one to hold out for red letter dates I will take this opportunity to extend my thoughts to you for the upcoming holiday season. To everyone who reads this I hope you find the gifts in your life without having to open a freshly wrapped package. They're already there, perhaps overlooked, waiting to be noticed. Pay attention to what you have and who you have in your life and you will surely uncover abundance. Happy days to one and all.
To close, I leave you with this thought from the movie Old Yeller:
"That was rough.... Thing to do now is try and forget it.... I guess I don't quite mean that. It's not a thing you can forget. Maybe not even a thing you want to forget.... Life's like that sometimes... Now and then for no good reason a man can figure out, life will just haul off and knock him flat, slam him agin' the ground so hard it seems like all his insides is busted. But it's not all like that. A lot of it's mighty fine, and you can't afford to waste the good part frettin' about the bad. That makes it all bad.... Sure, I know - sayin' it's one thing and feelin' it's another. But I'll tell you a trick that's sometimes a big help. When you start lookin' around for something good to take the place of the bad, as a general rule you can find it."
MiBism 020: Ordinary Miracle
At first, I hid my eyes from its brilliant glare. It poked an obtrusive orange glow through the concrete skyline of steel factories and manufacturing plants blowing its gasses through the air as it rose above tenement rooftops. It crept through the trees fervently following us as it began the miraculous feat of ushering in the day, lighting the dark sky in the wee morning hours of Saturday in Pennsylvania.
Its beacon of orange glow intrigued me, so as much as I turned away from the glare of its blinding light, I also found myself turning toward it as the top of its head peaked over Philadelphia’s horizon passing through Pennsylvania on the east side. I watched as this massive fire-orange ball, heavy with heat, lifted itself into the sky declaring the blessing of a new day.
As it rose above the earth the depth of its color faded, but not its brilliance.
We were 2/3s of the way through a long drive home from Orlando, exhausted and running on what little steam and caffeine that was left in us from having driven through the night when this stunning sunrise showed itself and accompanied us as we traveled north and it, to its destination in the sky.
On this morning I noticed the sun doing what only it can do and for five minutes was lost in the enormity and power of this daily miracle. As I watched it became abundantly clear that the sun dictates the ebb and flow of my life by introducing new days and closing finished days. Our lives hold countless ordinary miracles that regretfully go by all too often, unnoticed, therefore unappreciated.
While the sun rose for me here, I beleive that across the ocean, in another country far, far away there was a family driving in their car watching the beauty of the very same sun setting upon them to darken the sky. I believe that somewhere out there, there was another mother and daughter wrapped in each others arms, their warm breath upon one another’s shoulders, marveling at the miracle of a sunset.
This is the year of miracles and blessings. Are you ready to notice yours?