Safe to say there are more ways than one. I know this is something that people say, but there are times when people insist their way is the only way. This is not to accuse anyone of being right or wrong. This is only to say that as we grow confident with our craft or move forward in our field of business, we become comfortable with our own tactics and methods. Also, the more we grow comfortable, the less offended we are by those who suggest a different way.
I can say one thing without any doubt, the most comfortable person on the job is the person who is least intimidated by suggestions or change. This is a great person to learn from. It’s not the boastful one or the bragger; it’s the quiet one who is humble to feedback and appreciative of suggestions. This is who we learn from.

There was an afternoon I spent putting office furniture together. In fairness, I am not a fan of putting office furniture together. To be honest, I hate it. I am not a fan of the instructions that come with the furniture, nor am I a fan of the person who ordered this furniture. However, life does not always come with attractive options. Sometimes, the only option is to suck it up and do it. So I did.

Above all things, be humble. A good friend of mine told me this. He mentioned this advice after I reported a downfall of someone who was part of a role that was uncomfortable in my life.

Be fully mindful that all things can, do and will change. For as the saying goes, “What goes around, comes around.”
They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. They also say, which is biblical, and for the moment, I ask that you please excuse the reference but in any case; they say, “He among you who is without sin; let him be the one to cast the first stone.”
This is no different from the saying that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. For the record, I don’t know anyone who is able to cast the first stone. But if I was to ever place a wager, I’d bet there’s a long line for the person who casts the second.
For the record, I’ve seen people in glass houses throwing stones. I’ve watched the pot call the kettle black. I’ve seen the gossip mills and the rumor factories go to work.

There is an unfortunate truth that goes unsaid. But unsaid does not mean untrue and slight deviations aside, for the most part, we fail to realize how important someone is to us until we need them. When we don’t need them anymore, their importance goes back to where it was, which for the most part is unimportant at best. At the same time, most of us have a job. Most of us work. We have a craft or a career. We have a week to get through, which is not always easy. But, you eventually find a groove.

You find a way to split the week and make the days move faster. You train yourself to think of ways to make time and the week easier. We start with Monday just to get through Tuesday; and by that time, Wednesday is on its way. The week is half finished because all that’s left is Thursday, which leads us to Friday. And thank God for Fridays.
Am I right?

Years ago, I met a man who ran a small charter boat on the Island of Maui. Perhaps at the time, he was a bit older than I am now. He was tanned and spoke with a southern drawl. I boarded his 31′ Bertram and we were ready to troll with hopes of reeling in a trophy fish. The man asked me about the temperature in New York, which at the time, was warmer than usual. I told him that I heard the temperature was somewhere in the mid 50’s. The man smiled. He told me, “Son, I haven’t felt weather in the 50’s since I left my real estate business back in Maryland.”

I understand the title of this entry is not grammatically attractive. However, I title this for a reason. In fact, I title this because there are people who can live this way and remain lost. There are people who can live this way and find excuses why they stay as they are. Lost. But why?
If there is more out there, then why do people stay stuck? I swear, sometimes it’s like we play hide and seek with ourselves and yet, after a while, we just stop looking. We become accustomed and comfortable and then what?

I would like to start this entry with a simple exercise. I think it would be best to start this way because the mind is a remarkable place. So much goes on at once. We think and we feel. We predict and we act. We have storage units and keep detailed records of information and experience.
It’s amazing.

There are so many things happening at once and yet, we hardly realize what’s happening at all. Reports show that the average adult makes approximately 35,000 decisions in a day. Think about this? There are reports that show the average adult makes 2,000 decisions per hour or one decision every two-seconds. Of course, this assumes at least a seven-hour sleep period, which is tough for those who struggle with insomnia. Let’s face it, thinking is not a friend when you can’t sleep.

There is a difference between the two collars. Isn’t there?
There is the white collar and the blue collar. There is a difference in culture and a difference in moods. Their jobs are different and their lives are different. There is a difference in education and yet, there are people out there who have dedicated their life to a craft as a means to feed their family. There are people who work with their hands and those who work with their minds. Of course, there are those too who work with their hearts and they have become truly successful. And, too, there are those who’ve made it from humble beginnings and those who’ve fallen from the top.

It is safe to say that there was something typical about the times of my childhood. My Father was hardworking and blue collar. My Mother had corporate experience with large corporation names on her resume. However, Mom chose the role of a housewife for a while. She chose this until I reached an age that my brother and I could govern ourselves at home alone. Yet, a large portion of my childhood memories are that of my Father, whom I refer to as The Old Man, coming home late after a long day’s work. By this time, I was already washed, ready and dressed for bed. I could see the intensity in his brow. I could see that he had worked hard and that he was tired and that yes, The Old Man was left the proverbial “Big piece of chicken.”