Friday, July 15, 2016

Sometimes little steps are the most difficult

Where to start with this mess?
A single small step, that's where. 
More than once, I've thought, "If I would follow my own advice, I could rule the world." Today presented a perfect opportunity to do just that ... uh, follow my own advice, that is. A friend and I have been helping each other. She's looking for a new job; I'm (as always) looking for new business. In response to her email about not feeling motivated, here's how I answered: 

"Yeah, the motivation thing is tough to sustain. Real tough at times. 

I find it difficult to keep the faith in doing small steps. I often think "Oh, it won't matter, what's the use? This is stupid." But those small steps always add up and I'm always surprised they do. 

How about trying something small and different? A few years back, 15 or more, things really weren't how I wanted them to be in a number of areas in my life. I probably read somewhere about doing something different. So I decided I wasn't going to sit in my usual place on the couch. (Thinking, of course, that this was stupid, but hey, what did I have to lose.) It wasn't like I sat on the opposite end of the couch and Publisher's Clearing House immediately knocked on our door. But I did consciously keep the change up for a bit, which had a ripple effect on some other stuff. Now I can't recall exactly what but I remember the feeling and talking about it with Al. 

I think the theory is that you start looking at things differently - though it's almost imperceptible, extremely subtle to you. And by looking at things differently you come up with new ways to live the life you want to lead. 

You could brush your teeth with the opposite hand, get out of the other side of the bed, eat your breakfast outside (you guys have a really nice patio and patio furniture) or don't even sit on the couch (or whatever). Of course, the idea is to keep on keeping on with the job hunt or whatever. 

How about deciding on a small change and reporting back to me? 

And how about taking one step today toward finding a job? Have you written out your dream job? How about calling/emailing the pet resort place if you haven't heard back from them? Look online for an adult ed acting class in your area. Choose a company you'd love to work and check their Web site for the Careers tab or how to get hired. Send your resume to your former boss with a note you're looking and if he hears of anything to keep you in mind (if you haven't done so already). 

After I hear back on your small change, I'll send you one I'm going to do." 

After sending the email, I thought, "A small step I could do for my business is turn this into a blog post. Practice putting more of my writing out in the open. 

What a good way to start the weekend. Looking forward to taking more steps on Saturday and Sunday. 

Friday, July 1, 2016

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July! 



Enjoy your independence and celebrate with family and friends. (Excellent example of an imperative sentence, BTW.

Thought I would do my share for the digital environment and reuse a previously published post that celebrates our great nation. 

Check out The National Archives - Worth the Trip to D.C. Its claim to fame is the place in D.C. where the Constitution and Declaration of Independence make their home. There are so many other wonderful (and not so wonderful) records and documents of our country's history there, too. 

Please remember that this weekend isn't a blast for all of us. The Fourth of July can be particularly unpleasant for animals. Here's a piece on Fourth of July safety for dogs from my colleague Joan Hunter Mayer, dog trainer extraordinaire of Inquisitive Canine. Read it here

Shadow was frightened by fireworks, thunder and other ka-booms