We live in a world where people have stopped defining their self-worth by what they feel about themselves. People only want attention. It’s as if their value is defined by what strangers think of them rather than anything of real value.
From the woman twittering about the miscarriage she was having during a board meeting to the “Girls Gone Retarded” phenomenon, we are a society of people who want attention – regardless of whether it’s good or bad.
Psycho-babblers will tell you how it’s about low self-esteem and how these people weren’t loved by their daddy or not breastfed until age 17. People will make all kinds of excuses for this idiotic behavior, but let’s be honest about the true cause: there’s a market for it. When you read the People Magazine or US Weekly-type rages of the world, you are watching the glamorization of lunch and grocery-getting and taking kids to day care. None of these things are glamorous and Ashton Kutcher does not do his own groceries unless his publicist instructs him to do so. So to those who don’t have a healthy self-image, there is only one way to feel good about themselves; they must become famous – or infamous, whatever works. If you have no talent or relatives in the movie biz, you can always do something stupid like enter a wet T-shirt contest. If you’re a guy, you can be catapulted in a port-a-potty. Others will be happy to become porn “stars” and destroy any chance they have at a real life, because as every 19 year old know, you’re young forever and no one judges you by your actions.
Too many kids are growing up with the idea that if you’re not famous, you’re not valuable. They see Hannah Montana and believe it is their “dream” to be a famous singer. The trend of mothers sexualizing their little girls and hoodlumizing their little boys is leading to a future of bondage (not that kind of bondage – more like slavery.) Combined with the governmental emphasis on hating achievement, and maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to buy these kids English-Chinese dictionaries. It’s not to say children shouldn’t dream, but it is up to the parents to strike the delicate balance between encouraging children to dream and preparing them for a more modest, but more important, future.
Today’s posting was inspired by an acquaintance who recently quit her job. Rather than a resignation letter, she went “broken arrow” and wrote a scathing email to everyone in the company, from the CEO to the janitor, criticizing managers, co-workers and everyone in between. Was this necessary? No, of course not. You have the right to quit a job, but why burn dozens of bridges in the process? Would any of the other managers working there ever hire her if their paths crossed again? Of course not. So why’d she do it? Because she had to go down in a blaze of glory – a haze of stupidity is more accurate. She needed the attention and boy, did she get it. If she ever came to me for a job, she would have zero chance.
Forget screaming for attention and start earning respect. This is how success happens.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Day # 156 - Willingness
I’ve written on willingness before. The willingness to do whatever is necessary to achieve a goal will almost always ensure you don’t have to do everything necessary to achieve it. I work seven days a week. I have a full time job, run a small business, a large family, church, and I write this column, which may be the most challenging part of it all.
I am 39 years old and I have a great life. In many aspects, my life has been more successful than I could have expected, but I want more. I want meaning, as well as success. Sure, I want to make money and have nice stuff and security for my family, but that’s just not enough for me. If money was my only motivation, would I be writing this column? I don’t make money from it. It might pay off some day, but I would still do it even if I was sure it wouldn’t. Why? Because it is an exercise of will. I promised myself, and you, that I would spend a year without news and blog about the experience. The problem with that is that I don’t know how to write about what I am not doing. So, I write about my life and how this change is affecting me.
I recently killed my TV, which has given me more time to read. I’ve always been a reader, but now I can really tear through books. It’s amazing how you see the truth when you cut out the noise. I wasn’t a reader like I thought I was, like I wanted to be. I had to cut out the unproductive habit of watching news and noise to really kick my reading into overdrive. I had to be willing to make a radical change.
This is not to say I am no longer a hardcore capitalist. I am; to my very soul. I do not believe anything that I did not believe before beginning this project. My beliefs are the same. They are just more focused, more clearly defined; therefore they will better serve me.
You can accomplish anything, if you are willing to do whatever is necessary to reach your goal. You must be willing to change yourself, your situation, your life, and, especially your habits. Nothing is impossible unless you label it as such. Be willing to let go of those destructive little comforts, like complaining about every little inconvenience, like a line at Starbucks, or having to stop and gas up the car when you’re running late, or traffic, or filing, or whatever. There are things we all must do. Accept them and don’t give them any more mind than necessary. You must be willing to let go of the little attention-grabbing things. Let go of negative friends. Be willing to ignore the gossip and office chatter and instead, focus on your work – and then you’ll earn the promotion. Be willing to skip dessert – and then you’ll lose your love handles. Be willing to go through the pain of budgeting your money – and then you’ll stop worrying about paying the bills and saving for the future.
It all starts with willingness. Do you have the will? If you don’t, you have nothing.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
I am 39 years old and I have a great life. In many aspects, my life has been more successful than I could have expected, but I want more. I want meaning, as well as success. Sure, I want to make money and have nice stuff and security for my family, but that’s just not enough for me. If money was my only motivation, would I be writing this column? I don’t make money from it. It might pay off some day, but I would still do it even if I was sure it wouldn’t. Why? Because it is an exercise of will. I promised myself, and you, that I would spend a year without news and blog about the experience. The problem with that is that I don’t know how to write about what I am not doing. So, I write about my life and how this change is affecting me.
I recently killed my TV, which has given me more time to read. I’ve always been a reader, but now I can really tear through books. It’s amazing how you see the truth when you cut out the noise. I wasn’t a reader like I thought I was, like I wanted to be. I had to cut out the unproductive habit of watching news and noise to really kick my reading into overdrive. I had to be willing to make a radical change.
This is not to say I am no longer a hardcore capitalist. I am; to my very soul. I do not believe anything that I did not believe before beginning this project. My beliefs are the same. They are just more focused, more clearly defined; therefore they will better serve me.
You can accomplish anything, if you are willing to do whatever is necessary to reach your goal. You must be willing to change yourself, your situation, your life, and, especially your habits. Nothing is impossible unless you label it as such. Be willing to let go of those destructive little comforts, like complaining about every little inconvenience, like a line at Starbucks, or having to stop and gas up the car when you’re running late, or traffic, or filing, or whatever. There are things we all must do. Accept them and don’t give them any more mind than necessary. You must be willing to let go of the little attention-grabbing things. Let go of negative friends. Be willing to ignore the gossip and office chatter and instead, focus on your work – and then you’ll earn the promotion. Be willing to skip dessert – and then you’ll lose your love handles. Be willing to go through the pain of budgeting your money – and then you’ll stop worrying about paying the bills and saving for the future.
It all starts with willingness. Do you have the will? If you don’t, you have nothing.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Friday, October 29, 2010
Day # 155 - Tough Love
My daughter is in 2nd grade. She has a spelling test consisting of about 15 words each week. The teacher gives a pre-test on Wednesday s. If the student gets 100%, there is no second test. If they miss even one, they must take the test again on Friday. Our way of training Melissa has been to have her write each word twice. We dictate the words, she writes them. Afterwards, we review her work. Any misspelled or sloppily written words are rewritten three times. It’s why she’s batting .1000 in spelling.
This week, Melissa misspelled one word in the pre-test. I beat her with a rubber hose. Just kidding. I did, however, tell her we would do each word once. She wasn’t happy about it so she decided to skip ahead and work from memory instead of writing the words as I recited them. I made her start with a fresh sheet of paper and write each word twice. About six words into it, she again decided to go out on her own. I made her start with yet another fresh sheet of paper and write each word three times. I then warned her that if she did it again, I would have her write each word five times and we would stay up all night if necessary until she learned to follow my directions.
Melissa is a very bright kid. She is capable of great things. Sometimes, smart kids are the hard ones to manage because they get bored and they want to go out on their own, ahead of the teacher or the parent. I know, because I did the same thing at her age. Yes, in case you’re wondering, I used to be bright. The trouble was, my parents didn’t know exactly how to keep me in line. It wasn’t their fault, they just didn’t know.
I tend to be soft on my kids, but I am realizing that I am doing them no favors. I don’t need to be their best friend. They will have thousands of friends. They only have one father, and I have to make sure that that means something. Melissa was upset at my sternness, and part of me felt bad and wanted to ease up. I bit my tongue and stayed the course, almost afraid she would end up mad at me. When she finally finished the homework assignment, she went to play with George (our rabbit – yes, a rabbit. My house is turning into a zoo!) She then took a shower before going to sleep. She was completely fine, joking with me as she always does. She insisted on two good night kisses and asked for a glass of water. She told me she loved me and she went to bed. Good night, sweet angel.
The point is my relationship with my daughter was not damaged. She loves me as much as she would have if I had allowed her to skip homework and watch TV, but the love is being deposited in an interest-bearing account of sorts. Because I am being a father and not a buddy, she will love me more when she grows up. She will appreciate me more, and she will know that I was a part of the success I know she will ultimately achieve.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
This week, Melissa misspelled one word in the pre-test. I beat her with a rubber hose. Just kidding. I did, however, tell her we would do each word once. She wasn’t happy about it so she decided to skip ahead and work from memory instead of writing the words as I recited them. I made her start with a fresh sheet of paper and write each word twice. About six words into it, she again decided to go out on her own. I made her start with yet another fresh sheet of paper and write each word three times. I then warned her that if she did it again, I would have her write each word five times and we would stay up all night if necessary until she learned to follow my directions.
Melissa is a very bright kid. She is capable of great things. Sometimes, smart kids are the hard ones to manage because they get bored and they want to go out on their own, ahead of the teacher or the parent. I know, because I did the same thing at her age. Yes, in case you’re wondering, I used to be bright. The trouble was, my parents didn’t know exactly how to keep me in line. It wasn’t their fault, they just didn’t know.
I tend to be soft on my kids, but I am realizing that I am doing them no favors. I don’t need to be their best friend. They will have thousands of friends. They only have one father, and I have to make sure that that means something. Melissa was upset at my sternness, and part of me felt bad and wanted to ease up. I bit my tongue and stayed the course, almost afraid she would end up mad at me. When she finally finished the homework assignment, she went to play with George (our rabbit – yes, a rabbit. My house is turning into a zoo!) She then took a shower before going to sleep. She was completely fine, joking with me as she always does. She insisted on two good night kisses and asked for a glass of water. She told me she loved me and she went to bed. Good night, sweet angel.
The point is my relationship with my daughter was not damaged. She loves me as much as she would have if I had allowed her to skip homework and watch TV, but the love is being deposited in an interest-bearing account of sorts. Because I am being a father and not a buddy, she will love me more when she grows up. She will appreciate me more, and she will know that I was a part of the success I know she will ultimately achieve.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Day # 154 - It's the Stupid Economy (Again)
This economy is something unique to my generation (X if you’re wondering) in that we have never really felt a pinch. With any luck, it will define the generations that follow us who are living through it, but I have no real hope of that. I want to be clear, I am not wishing for the younger generations to suffer. I hope no one starves, but maybe we can learn to live without the extravagances.
I was born during the Nixon Administration. My first memories of grim economic realities were of gas lines and my father buying a gas cap with a lock on it. Jimmy Carter was in the White House and I was in the third grade and even then, we knew he was a moron. Then came Reagan, who picked people up. Unlike Carter, he believed in American Exceptionalism. He cut taxes and the economy boomed and we were all proud to be Americans. There was a little recession during the first Bush Administration which the administration didn’t know what to do about (nothing is the only correct answer) Clinton came along and there were some good years, Bush came along and things were good in spite of those who hated him and talked down the economy while stuffing their pockets. In 2008 it all came crashing down. People voted for hope, change, empty talk and inexperience and here we are: $13 trillion in debt and counting. Socialized medicine and a president who cannot admit he is a human being and has, apparently, never been wrong about anything in his entire life.
I no longer consume news. I occasionally make incidental contact with it. I walk past a newspaper dispenser, there are TVs all over my hotel and sometimes they’re tuned to news. News flashes on the radio sometimes catch me by surprise. Things are bad out there. I know, I am a sales guy and no one’s got any money to spend. I make my numbers, but I work harder than I would have had to for this result.
In the midst of this, I have finally learned the lessons my parents have tried to teach me for so long. You know the ones about rainy days and saving for the future and not being wasteful. It took me a while to make it my lifestyle. It took a while to do what I knew all along I should have been doing.
Parents are so afraid of their kids being unhappy that they will destroy their future. We fear saying no to them, we think punishing them will harm their precious self-esteem. We think when they throw a tantrum, it’s our fault. Actually, it is the parents’ fault if a kid throws a tantrum. The only forgivable offense is the first one. After that, whip the hell out of the kid if necessary, or, for the PC crowd, make it a teachable moment (I talk tough, but I never hit my kids, I don’t have to.) Teach your kids the essentials and they will thank you one day. Let them earn their own self-esteem. Self-esteem should be the result of a job well done, not of failure. Yes, kids fail. Yes, they should be told when they are wrong. Put another way, if you want those $200 jeans, get a job and buy them yourself.
Save your pennies and get your kids in on it. Or, learn to speak Chinese. Write to your members of Congress and tell them to treat your money the way they treat their own. This is not a Ripofflican versus Dumassocrat thing, this is an American thing. Both sides are crooked as a barrel of snakes and every one of them needs to be sent home, replaced by new, less crooked snakes. Don’t believe in the “benevolence” of government – it’s a fallacy. Join organizations created to keep government honest. Vote for term-limits and support those organizations, too.
Vote on November 2nd. I am officially endorsing the non-incumbent in every race in the country. You wanted change? Go get it yourself.
- Adolfo
I was born during the Nixon Administration. My first memories of grim economic realities were of gas lines and my father buying a gas cap with a lock on it. Jimmy Carter was in the White House and I was in the third grade and even then, we knew he was a moron. Then came Reagan, who picked people up. Unlike Carter, he believed in American Exceptionalism. He cut taxes and the economy boomed and we were all proud to be Americans. There was a little recession during the first Bush Administration which the administration didn’t know what to do about (nothing is the only correct answer) Clinton came along and there were some good years, Bush came along and things were good in spite of those who hated him and talked down the economy while stuffing their pockets. In 2008 it all came crashing down. People voted for hope, change, empty talk and inexperience and here we are: $13 trillion in debt and counting. Socialized medicine and a president who cannot admit he is a human being and has, apparently, never been wrong about anything in his entire life.
I no longer consume news. I occasionally make incidental contact with it. I walk past a newspaper dispenser, there are TVs all over my hotel and sometimes they’re tuned to news. News flashes on the radio sometimes catch me by surprise. Things are bad out there. I know, I am a sales guy and no one’s got any money to spend. I make my numbers, but I work harder than I would have had to for this result.
In the midst of this, I have finally learned the lessons my parents have tried to teach me for so long. You know the ones about rainy days and saving for the future and not being wasteful. It took me a while to make it my lifestyle. It took a while to do what I knew all along I should have been doing.
Parents are so afraid of their kids being unhappy that they will destroy their future. We fear saying no to them, we think punishing them will harm their precious self-esteem. We think when they throw a tantrum, it’s our fault. Actually, it is the parents’ fault if a kid throws a tantrum. The only forgivable offense is the first one. After that, whip the hell out of the kid if necessary, or, for the PC crowd, make it a teachable moment (I talk tough, but I never hit my kids, I don’t have to.) Teach your kids the essentials and they will thank you one day. Let them earn their own self-esteem. Self-esteem should be the result of a job well done, not of failure. Yes, kids fail. Yes, they should be told when they are wrong. Put another way, if you want those $200 jeans, get a job and buy them yourself.
Save your pennies and get your kids in on it. Or, learn to speak Chinese. Write to your members of Congress and tell them to treat your money the way they treat their own. This is not a Ripofflican versus Dumassocrat thing, this is an American thing. Both sides are crooked as a barrel of snakes and every one of them needs to be sent home, replaced by new, less crooked snakes. Don’t believe in the “benevolence” of government – it’s a fallacy. Join organizations created to keep government honest. Vote for term-limits and support those organizations, too.
Vote on November 2nd. I am officially endorsing the non-incumbent in every race in the country. You wanted change? Go get it yourself.
- Adolfo
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Day # 153 - Turn and Face the Strange... Changes
Self-awareness can be liberating and it leads to new challenges. I think knowing my flaws, and knowing what my goals are, is leading me headlong into becoming the man I am meant to be. The road is long but not lonely. The task is enormous but not daunting. I know that when this year is up, I will not be near the end. I know that fifty years from now, I will still not be complete. I may be finished by then, but by no means complete. I have decided to approach my life the way a painter approaches the canvas, knowing that whatever I do, it will never be complete – only abandoned. This abandonment will take place when I am returned to the dust this crude matter that is my body came from.
This works out well for me because I am enjoying the process. I enjoy the challenge of improving myself. I appreciate that this process forces me to look in the mirror and be honest with myself. I enjoy listening to the voice of God in the early morning hours when the dog and I are the only ones awake in the house and the only sound comes from his feet on the tile floor, the ticking of the clock in the kitchen, the hum of the refrigerator, and the clicking of the keys beneath my fingers as I write. I enjoy knowing that when I complete this essay, I will write in my journal and read my bible and pray for a while. I enjoy knowing that I will have accomplished this before the rest of my house and most of the eastern seaboard has woken up. It is 4:26AM right now and all I hear is the voice of God.
I feel a calling in my life. One I am pursuing. I am confiding in the people I love and trust, one at a time, seeking guidance and support. But mostly, it is God who I am turning to. I am not trying to preach to you, I am sharing the profound, peaceful experience I am going through. I feel different every day. I feel better. I feel more complete than I ever thought possible (even as I know completeness is an unattainable goal.)
Ayn Rand said, “I am therefore I think.” This has become something of a mantra for me. I have always been a thinker of sorts. I have always been intellectually curious. I think this is now starting to really mean something in my life. It is starting to matter more than it ever has. Intellectuality is no longer a pointless exercise. I have never been one to sit in coffee shops engaged in ridiculous conversations about the meaning of life or other existential nonsense. I was always a pragmatist and my pragmatism is what is leading me now. Take a few minutes this morning or whenever you can, to think, or to not think, or to pray. Shut out the noise for a while and listen to the voice of God. It will be soft and silent and deep inside your being. You’ll hear it in the rustling of leaves and the barking of dogs. You’ll hear it in the laughter of children and in drops of rain. You won’t hear it on TV or on the radio. God doesn’t sound like Lady Gaga. God sounds like us. He sounds like life. He sounds like peace. He sounds like the answers you are seeking, even when you don’t know you’re seeking them.
- Adolfo
This works out well for me because I am enjoying the process. I enjoy the challenge of improving myself. I appreciate that this process forces me to look in the mirror and be honest with myself. I enjoy listening to the voice of God in the early morning hours when the dog and I are the only ones awake in the house and the only sound comes from his feet on the tile floor, the ticking of the clock in the kitchen, the hum of the refrigerator, and the clicking of the keys beneath my fingers as I write. I enjoy knowing that when I complete this essay, I will write in my journal and read my bible and pray for a while. I enjoy knowing that I will have accomplished this before the rest of my house and most of the eastern seaboard has woken up. It is 4:26AM right now and all I hear is the voice of God.
I feel a calling in my life. One I am pursuing. I am confiding in the people I love and trust, one at a time, seeking guidance and support. But mostly, it is God who I am turning to. I am not trying to preach to you, I am sharing the profound, peaceful experience I am going through. I feel different every day. I feel better. I feel more complete than I ever thought possible (even as I know completeness is an unattainable goal.)
Ayn Rand said, “I am therefore I think.” This has become something of a mantra for me. I have always been a thinker of sorts. I have always been intellectually curious. I think this is now starting to really mean something in my life. It is starting to matter more than it ever has. Intellectuality is no longer a pointless exercise. I have never been one to sit in coffee shops engaged in ridiculous conversations about the meaning of life or other existential nonsense. I was always a pragmatist and my pragmatism is what is leading me now. Take a few minutes this morning or whenever you can, to think, or to not think, or to pray. Shut out the noise for a while and listen to the voice of God. It will be soft and silent and deep inside your being. You’ll hear it in the rustling of leaves and the barking of dogs. You’ll hear it in the laughter of children and in drops of rain. You won’t hear it on TV or on the radio. God doesn’t sound like Lady Gaga. God sounds like us. He sounds like life. He sounds like peace. He sounds like the answers you are seeking, even when you don’t know you’re seeking them.
- Adolfo
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Day # 152 - Discovery
This journey has led to self-discovery, which was not unexpected. I knew that I would learn something about myself in this time of refocusing. I had no idea what to expect and that’s really what’s been the best part. Every day has been an opportunity to learn something new, about life, about people, and about myself. I find that God is using me in ways I never thought He would, and all I can say is that I want more of it. I find myself wanting to help others, wanting to be more for others, wanting to be more than I’ve ever been before.
I find myself waking up to pray and ask for guidance as the journey becomes more challenging. I find myself shifting from ambition to meaning. I want to help others even more than I want to help myself. I am becoming a secondary consideration in my own life and I have never felt better about myself. I feel as if I have discovered a new facet of my being and I am as excited as a parent holding a newborn. I am excited about the possibilities and the promises I am holding in my hands and I am humbled by the responsibility. I do not feel complete, and I doubt I ever will, but I feel as if my direction is clearer than ever. I feel like I finally have someplace to go, even if I don’t know where it is.
I feel a love in my heart I never felt before. I feel as if anger is leaving my universe, leaving only room for love and fellowship. I think I may be growing up – shocking to those who know me but somehow true nonetheless. Now, all I can think about is continuing to grow and finding ways to share what I am feeling and learning every day. I am not yet a man in full, but I am getting there. Every day in every way, I improve just a little bit. Every day I get closer to my potential. This is an exciting time. I can’t sleep and wake up energized and I love every moment of the day, even the moments I should be hating. I wish everyone can experience this.
Hopefully, I’ll help people discover this for themselves. This is too good not to
share.
- Adolfo
I find myself waking up to pray and ask for guidance as the journey becomes more challenging. I find myself shifting from ambition to meaning. I want to help others even more than I want to help myself. I am becoming a secondary consideration in my own life and I have never felt better about myself. I feel as if I have discovered a new facet of my being and I am as excited as a parent holding a newborn. I am excited about the possibilities and the promises I am holding in my hands and I am humbled by the responsibility. I do not feel complete, and I doubt I ever will, but I feel as if my direction is clearer than ever. I feel like I finally have someplace to go, even if I don’t know where it is.
I feel a love in my heart I never felt before. I feel as if anger is leaving my universe, leaving only room for love and fellowship. I think I may be growing up – shocking to those who know me but somehow true nonetheless. Now, all I can think about is continuing to grow and finding ways to share what I am feeling and learning every day. I am not yet a man in full, but I am getting there. Every day in every way, I improve just a little bit. Every day I get closer to my potential. This is an exciting time. I can’t sleep and wake up energized and I love every moment of the day, even the moments I should be hating. I wish everyone can experience this.
Hopefully, I’ll help people discover this for themselves. This is too good not to
share.
- Adolfo
Monday, October 25, 2010
Day # 151 - Of Luck and Faith
I was a superstitious person. I used to believe that it was bad to spill salt, or break a mirror. I would cross the street to avoid a black cat and was convinced that Friday the 13th was not just another day on the calendar. Then, a couple of years ago, it dawned on me: Superstition is the absence of faith. Superstition is the absence of self-confidence. I eliminated superstition from my life just like that. No more fear of jinxing myself. No more fear of things beyond my control. No more ancient stupidity influencing my life, my decisions, my behavior.
Since I made the switch from superstition to faith, I sleep better (not that I sleep much – although this won’t be published very early, I am writing at 5:40AM and I have been awake for about an hour.) I don’t worry about dumb things, and now I avoid cats because I am allergic to them, not because they are the guardians of the underworld or bringers of bad luck. I do not believe faith should lead to inaction. I believe one must be active in faith as in anything else in life. Having faith doesn’t mean you sit on the couch and wait for the lottery. It means you go confidently in the direction of your dreams. It means you live fearlessly, deliberately.
Too often, we believe that good things will come if we are patient and we are good. It’s better than being impatient and bad, but it’s not enough. Be a decent person, be a good and patient person – and then work yourself as hard as you can.
If you want a college degree, how many ways can you get it? That’s right: there’s only one way to earn a college degree. Why should a million dollars be any different? Why should a thriving marriage be any different? Why should good kids or success in life be any different? We look at people who have a healthy marriage and tell ourselves they are lucky. We see someone in a nice car, pulling into a nice house, and we say, what a lucky guy! Arnold Palmer said: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” (I think it was Arnold Palmer.)
In spite of what the government is trying to convince you of, successful people are not evil and they are not lucky. 80% of the millionaires in the US are first-generation rich. Are you going to tell me those people are all lucky? Sure, some people seem to get breaks they don’t deserve. Maybe that’s because while you think they don’t deserve the break, they believe they are entitled to the break, and as I’ve written before, dear reader: you will meet yourself at your expectations.
Trade in your luck for faith. My faith is in God, and it works great for me. If you don’t want to accept that you are not some cosmic accident, have faith in yourself, or in Zeus, or in the trees, and see how it works for you. Release the superstitions and embrace the spiritual. Take control of your life and stop wasting salt by throwing it over your shoulder. Decide your own destiny and resolve to live the best life you can. The life you are meant to live.
God bless you. Make it a great day because only you can.
- Adolfo
Since I made the switch from superstition to faith, I sleep better (not that I sleep much – although this won’t be published very early, I am writing at 5:40AM and I have been awake for about an hour.) I don’t worry about dumb things, and now I avoid cats because I am allergic to them, not because they are the guardians of the underworld or bringers of bad luck. I do not believe faith should lead to inaction. I believe one must be active in faith as in anything else in life. Having faith doesn’t mean you sit on the couch and wait for the lottery. It means you go confidently in the direction of your dreams. It means you live fearlessly, deliberately.
Too often, we believe that good things will come if we are patient and we are good. It’s better than being impatient and bad, but it’s not enough. Be a decent person, be a good and patient person – and then work yourself as hard as you can.
If you want a college degree, how many ways can you get it? That’s right: there’s only one way to earn a college degree. Why should a million dollars be any different? Why should a thriving marriage be any different? Why should good kids or success in life be any different? We look at people who have a healthy marriage and tell ourselves they are lucky. We see someone in a nice car, pulling into a nice house, and we say, what a lucky guy! Arnold Palmer said: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” (I think it was Arnold Palmer.)
In spite of what the government is trying to convince you of, successful people are not evil and they are not lucky. 80% of the millionaires in the US are first-generation rich. Are you going to tell me those people are all lucky? Sure, some people seem to get breaks they don’t deserve. Maybe that’s because while you think they don’t deserve the break, they believe they are entitled to the break, and as I’ve written before, dear reader: you will meet yourself at your expectations.
Trade in your luck for faith. My faith is in God, and it works great for me. If you don’t want to accept that you are not some cosmic accident, have faith in yourself, or in Zeus, or in the trees, and see how it works for you. Release the superstitions and embrace the spiritual. Take control of your life and stop wasting salt by throwing it over your shoulder. Decide your own destiny and resolve to live the best life you can. The life you are meant to live.
God bless you. Make it a great day because only you can.
- Adolfo
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Day # 150 - Soundtrack
We’ve all referred to the music of our youth as the soundtrack of our lives. We all have songs that transport us back in time to a happier –or sadder – period in our lives. Sometimes the song reminds you of a person, a place, a moment; other times, the feeling is more general, an unnamed nostalgia that tugs at your heart while not entering your mind, hovering around the edges of your conscious mind, leaving clues while maintaining its vagueness.
For years, I’ve thought about the music that defines me. Now that I don’t listen to much music at all, it seems to take on a new meaning. It’s special in a different way. Like a person on a diet, who isn’t allowed to indulge in what he’s always enjoyed, when I find myself alone, surrounded by those familiar sounds, I feel I’ve been given permission to forget today and go back to a time that is simpler, if only in my mind.
Simpler is a relative term. Things were always complicated, and for me, age and what passes for wisdom are bringing simplicity, even as a mortgage, tuition, career and so many other big and little things should be complicating my life. Things are simple now as they were then. The difference is that now, I don’t want to make them complicated. Simplicity is the goal.
As I drive down the road listening to The Who, Cheap Trick, and The Rolling Stones, I can let go of the moment and enjoy an unknown feeling that isn’t happiness or sadness or nostalgia. It’s just an acknowledgement that what I was then made me who I am now. When I hear the soundtrack of my youth and wonder, “where are they now?” I am not wondering about the musicians, I’m wondering about the people who were there when these songs were still cool and relevant and not the novelty they are now. I wonder about the world as it was when these songs were forming my opinions rather than reminding me of what they were decades ago. I wonder if any of those people who were there at the time are in their car listening to the songs I am listening to and wondering what I’m wondering.
Then I realize these people in my memory are nameless, faceless; they are ghosts of my past. I may have been able to see them then but I can’t see them now. I wonder. The bittersweet feeling fades as the song ends and then another one comes on. One I haven’t heard in a while and the feeling dies down for just a moment and then is reignited and I’m driving down memory lane again. The memories are a little different but the feeling is the same: longing. Longing one feels when wishing one can recapture youth and spend it more wisely. It’s a senseless, pointless longing for the impossible, like searching for the end of a rainbow.
Then the next song comes on and it snaps me out of the dream. The tickling feeling in my eyes evaporates and I am back in 2010, driving to an appointment, earning my living. Wondering if I missed anything during my time travels. I am faced with the realization that living in the past can only be done at the expense of the moment, and maybe even the future.
- Adolfo
For years, I’ve thought about the music that defines me. Now that I don’t listen to much music at all, it seems to take on a new meaning. It’s special in a different way. Like a person on a diet, who isn’t allowed to indulge in what he’s always enjoyed, when I find myself alone, surrounded by those familiar sounds, I feel I’ve been given permission to forget today and go back to a time that is simpler, if only in my mind.
Simpler is a relative term. Things were always complicated, and for me, age and what passes for wisdom are bringing simplicity, even as a mortgage, tuition, career and so many other big and little things should be complicating my life. Things are simple now as they were then. The difference is that now, I don’t want to make them complicated. Simplicity is the goal.
As I drive down the road listening to The Who, Cheap Trick, and The Rolling Stones, I can let go of the moment and enjoy an unknown feeling that isn’t happiness or sadness or nostalgia. It’s just an acknowledgement that what I was then made me who I am now. When I hear the soundtrack of my youth and wonder, “where are they now?” I am not wondering about the musicians, I’m wondering about the people who were there when these songs were still cool and relevant and not the novelty they are now. I wonder about the world as it was when these songs were forming my opinions rather than reminding me of what they were decades ago. I wonder if any of those people who were there at the time are in their car listening to the songs I am listening to and wondering what I’m wondering.
Then I realize these people in my memory are nameless, faceless; they are ghosts of my past. I may have been able to see them then but I can’t see them now. I wonder. The bittersweet feeling fades as the song ends and then another one comes on. One I haven’t heard in a while and the feeling dies down for just a moment and then is reignited and I’m driving down memory lane again. The memories are a little different but the feeling is the same: longing. Longing one feels when wishing one can recapture youth and spend it more wisely. It’s a senseless, pointless longing for the impossible, like searching for the end of a rainbow.
Then the next song comes on and it snaps me out of the dream. The tickling feeling in my eyes evaporates and I am back in 2010, driving to an appointment, earning my living. Wondering if I missed anything during my time travels. I am faced with the realization that living in the past can only be done at the expense of the moment, and maybe even the future.
- Adolfo
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Day # 149 - Build Your Ark Before it Rains
Keith Ferrazzi, the relationship marketing master and networker extraordinaire, says of networking: build it before you need it. You don’t put on your seatbelt after crashing your car. You wouldn’t trust a doctor with your kids if he was walking into the operating room with “Tonsillectomy for Dummies” under his arm. Preparation is crucial.
I see this time and again in my business and personal life. I find myself making the same mistakes sometimes and it all comes to preparation – or the lack of it.
The thing about preparation, or whatever necessary steps there are to the successful execution of any process, is that we know the steps, we know what we have to do, and we often choose to take a shortcut, and the result is always the same: subpar performance.
Remember the 7 “P’s”: Proper-Prior-Planning-Prevents-Piss-Poor-Performance
But it isn’t always a matter of planning. Is there anything in your life right now that you need to do? Something you may not want to do. It could be boring or expensive, or tedious, but think about the consequences if you don’t do it. There are plenty of things that don’t matter – until they matter. You know what they are and you know what you have to do, so get off the couch and do them.
Whoever said good things come to those who wait should have explained a little further. While patience is a virtue, inaction is a vice. Waiting for things to happen will only ensure that they happen to other people or that you will miss them when they happen to you. Prepare, and get out there and make it happen. No one ever became successful by not taking care of the simple things and no one ever became successful by waiting for something to happen.
I have a friend who has the makings of a major director. For years, I have tried to entice him with all kinds of projects and ideas and his answer is always that he is too busy or some other lame excuse. Now, the small film-production company I have been involved in for the last year is about to take some big steps. We will need directors. Will I be calling him? Of course not. Why would I expect him to be ready for the big things when he was too busy for the little things? Why should I have confidence in a person who wasn’t willing to build his ark before it rained?
The lesson is: Do not ignore the little things. Little things mean everything. Be prepared for anything and don’t procrastinate. The only thing that comes to those who waits is the disappointing news that they missed their opportunity.
God bless you. Go out there and make it your best day yet. Do it now!
- Adolfo
I see this time and again in my business and personal life. I find myself making the same mistakes sometimes and it all comes to preparation – or the lack of it.
The thing about preparation, or whatever necessary steps there are to the successful execution of any process, is that we know the steps, we know what we have to do, and we often choose to take a shortcut, and the result is always the same: subpar performance.
Remember the 7 “P’s”: Proper-Prior-Planning-Prevents-Piss-Poor-Performance
But it isn’t always a matter of planning. Is there anything in your life right now that you need to do? Something you may not want to do. It could be boring or expensive, or tedious, but think about the consequences if you don’t do it. There are plenty of things that don’t matter – until they matter. You know what they are and you know what you have to do, so get off the couch and do them.
Whoever said good things come to those who wait should have explained a little further. While patience is a virtue, inaction is a vice. Waiting for things to happen will only ensure that they happen to other people or that you will miss them when they happen to you. Prepare, and get out there and make it happen. No one ever became successful by not taking care of the simple things and no one ever became successful by waiting for something to happen.
I have a friend who has the makings of a major director. For years, I have tried to entice him with all kinds of projects and ideas and his answer is always that he is too busy or some other lame excuse. Now, the small film-production company I have been involved in for the last year is about to take some big steps. We will need directors. Will I be calling him? Of course not. Why would I expect him to be ready for the big things when he was too busy for the little things? Why should I have confidence in a person who wasn’t willing to build his ark before it rained?
The lesson is: Do not ignore the little things. Little things mean everything. Be prepared for anything and don’t procrastinate. The only thing that comes to those who waits is the disappointing news that they missed their opportunity.
God bless you. Go out there and make it your best day yet. Do it now!
- Adolfo
Friday, October 22, 2010
Day # 148
We have cut the cord. Well, we’ve cut the cable. No cable TV in the Jimenez household, which essentially means no TV at all. No more commercials, no more trash, no more canned laughter on the Disney Channel. Thank God. It’s liberating. Like a blackout with lights.
Stay with me, here. If you live in South Florida, you know what it’s like to go a week or two or longer without electricity. You start getting to know your neighbors; you find other things to do instead of sitting in front of the TV. You speak to your spouse and your children, you bond. It’s wonderful.
So, I decided that the next natural step in A Year without News was to cut the cable. I still have a couple of hundred DVDs and I can always go rent a movie. Of course, football season is here and… maybe this wasn’t such a bright idea after all. No! I must be strong. I must stick to my guns.
I had already made the decision to stop watching TV and, for the most part, was easing into it nicely, although the last couple times I couldn’t sleep, I watched TV through the night. Amazing what you learn! Did you know that football coach Jimmy Johnson has a little wee-wee? He must because he’s pushing miracle-grow pills at three in the morning. How sad. Nothing is sacred.
What this means is that insomnia just got productive.
This will be hardest on my kids. They asked me why the TV wasn’t working. I told them it was disconnected and they nearly flipped. Literally, I thought I was going to have a mutiny on my hands. Like most things parents do for the good of their children, it may hurt a little, but it will be the best thing for them in the long run.
It’s one more step, a very important one, on my path to reaching my potential. 217 days before I cut the internet. On second thought, no!
- Adolfo
Stay with me, here. If you live in South Florida, you know what it’s like to go a week or two or longer without electricity. You start getting to know your neighbors; you find other things to do instead of sitting in front of the TV. You speak to your spouse and your children, you bond. It’s wonderful.
So, I decided that the next natural step in A Year without News was to cut the cable. I still have a couple of hundred DVDs and I can always go rent a movie. Of course, football season is here and… maybe this wasn’t such a bright idea after all. No! I must be strong. I must stick to my guns.
I had already made the decision to stop watching TV and, for the most part, was easing into it nicely, although the last couple times I couldn’t sleep, I watched TV through the night. Amazing what you learn! Did you know that football coach Jimmy Johnson has a little wee-wee? He must because he’s pushing miracle-grow pills at three in the morning. How sad. Nothing is sacred.
What this means is that insomnia just got productive.
This will be hardest on my kids. They asked me why the TV wasn’t working. I told them it was disconnected and they nearly flipped. Literally, I thought I was going to have a mutiny on my hands. Like most things parents do for the good of their children, it may hurt a little, but it will be the best thing for them in the long run.
It’s one more step, a very important one, on my path to reaching my potential. 217 days before I cut the internet. On second thought, no!
- Adolfo
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Day # 147 - Breaking Habits
If this exercise is really about anything, it's about habits. It's about breaking habits and starting habits. Out with the bad and in with the good. Old and new. Whatever, you get the point.
Abby and I have committed to changing certain things about our life. For too long, we have been slaves to consumerism and it has affected our lives in a decidedly negative fashion. We decided to go on a diet of sorts. We are changing our consumption, our habits, how we treat one another, how we talk and what we do with our spare time.
Yesterday, Abby backslid. She did something that was completely in opposition to what we are trying to accomplish as a family.
I calmly told her I was disappointed. That's it. I didn't pop. I didn't yell, I didn't judge. Well, maybe I did judge by telling her I was disappointed, but I didn't criticize.
This morning, she thanked me. She thanked me for keeping my cool, for calmly sharing my feelings, and for allowing her to see the error of her ways. I understand making mistakes. I have a lot of experience in that area. Only recently have I begun to understand the value of accepting responsibility. You can't lead if you don't take responsibility and you can't be anything other than a follower if you're not leading.
It may not seem like much, but it was big step for me. I feel a little pride swelling at what my wife said to me this morning.
That's progress. And this kind of progress is very good indeed.
Make a step today. Even a baby step. You know in which direction.
- Adolfo
Abby and I have committed to changing certain things about our life. For too long, we have been slaves to consumerism and it has affected our lives in a decidedly negative fashion. We decided to go on a diet of sorts. We are changing our consumption, our habits, how we treat one another, how we talk and what we do with our spare time.
Yesterday, Abby backslid. She did something that was completely in opposition to what we are trying to accomplish as a family.
I calmly told her I was disappointed. That's it. I didn't pop. I didn't yell, I didn't judge. Well, maybe I did judge by telling her I was disappointed, but I didn't criticize.
This morning, she thanked me. She thanked me for keeping my cool, for calmly sharing my feelings, and for allowing her to see the error of her ways. I understand making mistakes. I have a lot of experience in that area. Only recently have I begun to understand the value of accepting responsibility. You can't lead if you don't take responsibility and you can't be anything other than a follower if you're not leading.
It may not seem like much, but it was big step for me. I feel a little pride swelling at what my wife said to me this morning.
That's progress. And this kind of progress is very good indeed.
Make a step today. Even a baby step. You know in which direction.
- Adolfo
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Day # 146 – Starting the Day Right
I am an early riser, this much has been established. However, this doesn’t mean I bound out of bed and immediately start doing a million things. I tend to lay in bed in the dark for a while each morning, alone with my thoughts. This can be a dangerous thing if one’s not careful about it.
Often my mind wanders in all the wrong directions. I allow the silence to whisper negativity into my mind and my thoughts turn angry or self-defeating. I think of myself. I think of the challenges I expect to face; I exaggerate those challenges and turn what will almost surely be a walk in the garden into the Bay of Pigs.
This is something I have been struggling with for a long time. My hyperactive imagination, coupled with a tendency to dramatize things and be negative, plants seeds of my self-destruction. If I allow this to happen then surely, I will never reach my potential and I will never have a good day.
So I am changing my approach. Rather than thinking of myself or the day ahead, I think of the people I love and I call on God’s blessings for them. I pray for their health, their happiness, their success. I think of all the good things in my life and all the good things that are yet to be. That’s right, I daydream. I envision my day going well. I see myself as very productive, making the right choices in every situation I face. I see my children succeeding at every activity they undertake. I see my parents healthy and vibrant. I see my relationships blossoming.
Rumi said, “the morning breeze has secrets to tell you; do not go back to sleep.” I take advantage of this time to listen to God, in the form of the silence of the morning, and try to gain his wisdom. For too long, this was a time of torment. Now, I am learning to turn it into a time of meditation and prayer and worship. It’s quality time with myself and with God. Try it.
Lessons:
-Decide that you are in control of your thoughts.
-Decide what your thoughts will be and let nothing else in.
-When the negative creeps in, tell yourself that this is not acceptable and steer your mind in the right direction. Do this over and over again if necessary. Soon, it will be a habit requiring no thought.
Make it your best day yet. God bless you.
- Adolfo
Often my mind wanders in all the wrong directions. I allow the silence to whisper negativity into my mind and my thoughts turn angry or self-defeating. I think of myself. I think of the challenges I expect to face; I exaggerate those challenges and turn what will almost surely be a walk in the garden into the Bay of Pigs.
This is something I have been struggling with for a long time. My hyperactive imagination, coupled with a tendency to dramatize things and be negative, plants seeds of my self-destruction. If I allow this to happen then surely, I will never reach my potential and I will never have a good day.
So I am changing my approach. Rather than thinking of myself or the day ahead, I think of the people I love and I call on God’s blessings for them. I pray for their health, their happiness, their success. I think of all the good things in my life and all the good things that are yet to be. That’s right, I daydream. I envision my day going well. I see myself as very productive, making the right choices in every situation I face. I see my children succeeding at every activity they undertake. I see my parents healthy and vibrant. I see my relationships blossoming.
Rumi said, “the morning breeze has secrets to tell you; do not go back to sleep.” I take advantage of this time to listen to God, in the form of the silence of the morning, and try to gain his wisdom. For too long, this was a time of torment. Now, I am learning to turn it into a time of meditation and prayer and worship. It’s quality time with myself and with God. Try it.
Lessons:
-Decide that you are in control of your thoughts.
-Decide what your thoughts will be and let nothing else in.
-When the negative creeps in, tell yourself that this is not acceptable and steer your mind in the right direction. Do this over and over again if necessary. Soon, it will be a habit requiring no thought.
Make it your best day yet. God bless you.
- Adolfo
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Day # 145 - How To Fail At Everything
Bite off more than you can chew.
Refuse to spit it out (even when choking.)
Talk behind people's backs.
Be late, wherever you're going, whoever's waiting.
Never admit you're wrong.
Never take responsibility.
Use profanity.
Be sloppy in appearance and habits.
Spend more than you make.
Pretend you have no thumbs and spend all your time pointing fingers.
Humiliate others.
Criticize publicly.
Never praise people.
Look for the gray clouds.
Ignore silver linings.
Don't smile.
Don't laugh.
Don't love.
Don't bother.
Oh, if you decide to do any of the above. Don't call me.
- Adolfo
Refuse to spit it out (even when choking.)
Talk behind people's backs.
Be late, wherever you're going, whoever's waiting.
Never admit you're wrong.
Never take responsibility.
Use profanity.
Be sloppy in appearance and habits.
Spend more than you make.
Pretend you have no thumbs and spend all your time pointing fingers.
Humiliate others.
Criticize publicly.
Never praise people.
Look for the gray clouds.
Ignore silver linings.
Don't smile.
Don't laugh.
Don't love.
Don't bother.
Oh, if you decide to do any of the above. Don't call me.
- Adolfo
Monday, October 18, 2010
Day # 144 - Finding Myself
At my age, I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. Probably because I have not resolved to grow up. My sister grew up and became a school teacher. She always wanted to be a teacher, according to our mom. When she was a little girl, she would line up her dolls like students in a classroom and teach them whatever it is little girls teach their dolls. She knew. She had a vision, a desire.
I think I should have been an actor. This would have given me the opportunity to be all the things I have always wanted to be. Or just play them on TV. Or audition to play them on TV between shifts as a short-order cook at Mel's Diner.
I wanted to be a writer. This is something I discovered around age 21. I became a father at a young age and I realized I needed to provide for my kids, rather than pursue dreams. Of course, I did some of both and the practical eventually won out. Maybe I did grow up.
In some ways, I am a cautionary tale. Kids should pursue their dreams while they are kid. Too often they get confused and wind up chasing adulthood. This is what happened to me. Don't let it happen to your kids. Talk to them about the importance of being where they are when they are there. Remind them that once they are adults, they can't go back, and unlike their X-Box, there's no reset button or do-over in real life.
Lessons:
Live in the moment.
Don't be in a hurry to grow up. Better yet - don't grow up at all.
Determine your dream and follow it relentlessly.
- Adolfo
I think I should have been an actor. This would have given me the opportunity to be all the things I have always wanted to be. Or just play them on TV. Or audition to play them on TV between shifts as a short-order cook at Mel's Diner.
I wanted to be a writer. This is something I discovered around age 21. I became a father at a young age and I realized I needed to provide for my kids, rather than pursue dreams. Of course, I did some of both and the practical eventually won out. Maybe I did grow up.
In some ways, I am a cautionary tale. Kids should pursue their dreams while they are kid. Too often they get confused and wind up chasing adulthood. This is what happened to me. Don't let it happen to your kids. Talk to them about the importance of being where they are when they are there. Remind them that once they are adults, they can't go back, and unlike their X-Box, there's no reset button or do-over in real life.
Lessons:
Live in the moment.
Don't be in a hurry to grow up. Better yet - don't grow up at all.
Determine your dream and follow it relentlessly.
- Adolfo
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Day # 143 - Goal Setting
We set goals every day. Sometimes it's something as simple as getting to work on time. Sometimes, it's something more ambitious like losing a significant amount of weight. Whatever your goal is, it should be well-defined, reasonable, and measurable.
Saying, "I want to be in shape," is too vague to mean anything. Saying, "I want to lose twenty pounds and run a marathon," is clear and measurable.
When I started this blog, I had a vague goal: to give up news and improve myself. From this exercise, I have defined one new goal: I have promised myself I would write every day until the year is over. More importantly, I am becoming much more self-aware. I am closer to God. I find myself wanting more, making a shift to spirituality, to meaning. I don't know what it means, but I am trying to find out.
I know what I like, but not always what I feel. I often don't understand my own thoughts. I feel the presence of God in my life, but I don't always understand what he's trying to tell me - or maybe I don't want to.
My goal is to be the best person I can be. Man, how wishy-washy is that? If you don't know where you're going, your liable to get there. Use a road map. Figure out what you're good at and what you want your life to mean. Then go about reaching that goal.
Let me know how it goes. I'll keep you posted.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.tweeter.com/adolfojimenez
Saying, "I want to be in shape," is too vague to mean anything. Saying, "I want to lose twenty pounds and run a marathon," is clear and measurable.
When I started this blog, I had a vague goal: to give up news and improve myself. From this exercise, I have defined one new goal: I have promised myself I would write every day until the year is over. More importantly, I am becoming much more self-aware. I am closer to God. I find myself wanting more, making a shift to spirituality, to meaning. I don't know what it means, but I am trying to find out.
I know what I like, but not always what I feel. I often don't understand my own thoughts. I feel the presence of God in my life, but I don't always understand what he's trying to tell me - or maybe I don't want to.
My goal is to be the best person I can be. Man, how wishy-washy is that? If you don't know where you're going, your liable to get there. Use a road map. Figure out what you're good at and what you want your life to mean. Then go about reaching that goal.
Let me know how it goes. I'll keep you posted.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.tweeter.com/adolfojimenez
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Day # 142 - Prepare for the...
Yesterday was a great day - in spite of my expectations. I was so angry about what I was expecting that I didn't sleep on Thursday. It was a kind of nervous, anxious anticipation. Not the kind you feel when waiting to see the love of your life or before a big event. It was a death row kind of feeling. Not scared, but angry about being an innocent man about to ride the lightning.
Then I couldn't find my keys.
Since I hadn't slept, and I knew I was going to be pulled out of my office for several hours to be hazed, I decided to go into work early and get everything done. I am most productive in the morning, so I decided to head to work about 7:00 AM, but I couldn't find my keys. I did, eventually. They were in Abby's car. Always the last place you look, right?
I made it to my office by 7:30 and started on paperwork. Filing papers that should have been filed weeks ago. I didn't turn on my computer and I had even snuck in quietly so no one would know I was there. (I work in a hotel, so there's someone there 24/7.)I got so much work done that within an hour I was caught up. I had written my to-do list the day before and tackled all of it by 8:30. My day was done before most people's day would have been started. Now all there was to do was wait. And like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers told us back in the 80's: The waiting is the hardest part.
I had been in a bad mood since the night before, the thought of sitting on my hands while lesser mortals stood in judgement of me was eating away at my soul. I envisioned every possible outcome, including the Bruce Lee solution which consisted of me single-handedly pulverizing 30 black-belts.
I went to the meeting, taking one last look at my pristine office before going. I sat at the table and was praised from head to toe. I expected hell and the reality was not even close.
Now, I know I have preached about how we will get what we expect. One thing made the difference. I corrected myself every time those negative thoughts filled my head. I reminded myself that it was all in God's hands and that if God is with me, who dares to stand against me. I reminded myself that I am better than those thoughts, that while those thoughts might sneak in from time to time, I was the decider of whether they manifested or not.
Even better things happened to me throughout the day. I was relaxed, happy, and satisfied. I went to bed early last night and dreamt the strangest dreams and woke reluctantly, like a kid on a school day. Knowing how God and positive thinking (sort of) would make the difference. I am wiser today then I was yesterday, which means yesterday was a very good day indeed.
Of course, Abby called in the middle of all this to tell me her keys fell down a storm drain. More on that another time...
God bless you. Make it your best day ever.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Then I couldn't find my keys.
Since I hadn't slept, and I knew I was going to be pulled out of my office for several hours to be hazed, I decided to go into work early and get everything done. I am most productive in the morning, so I decided to head to work about 7:00 AM, but I couldn't find my keys. I did, eventually. They were in Abby's car. Always the last place you look, right?
I made it to my office by 7:30 and started on paperwork. Filing papers that should have been filed weeks ago. I didn't turn on my computer and I had even snuck in quietly so no one would know I was there. (I work in a hotel, so there's someone there 24/7.)I got so much work done that within an hour I was caught up. I had written my to-do list the day before and tackled all of it by 8:30. My day was done before most people's day would have been started. Now all there was to do was wait. And like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers told us back in the 80's: The waiting is the hardest part.
I had been in a bad mood since the night before, the thought of sitting on my hands while lesser mortals stood in judgement of me was eating away at my soul. I envisioned every possible outcome, including the Bruce Lee solution which consisted of me single-handedly pulverizing 30 black-belts.
I went to the meeting, taking one last look at my pristine office before going. I sat at the table and was praised from head to toe. I expected hell and the reality was not even close.
Now, I know I have preached about how we will get what we expect. One thing made the difference. I corrected myself every time those negative thoughts filled my head. I reminded myself that it was all in God's hands and that if God is with me, who dares to stand against me. I reminded myself that I am better than those thoughts, that while those thoughts might sneak in from time to time, I was the decider of whether they manifested or not.
Even better things happened to me throughout the day. I was relaxed, happy, and satisfied. I went to bed early last night and dreamt the strangest dreams and woke reluctantly, like a kid on a school day. Knowing how God and positive thinking (sort of) would make the difference. I am wiser today then I was yesterday, which means yesterday was a very good day indeed.
Of course, Abby called in the middle of all this to tell me her keys fell down a storm drain. More on that another time...
God bless you. Make it your best day ever.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Friday, October 15, 2010
Day # 141 - Better Late Than Never
I normally would have completed this post about 13 hours ago. I had a long night and a long day and here I am on a Friday night writing to you, dear reader.
Why am I doing this?
Because 141 days ago I started on a quest to better myself and to write for 365 days while not watching news.
Today was long, but productive. The lessons learned today are: Expect the best and you'll likely get it, and keep your promises.
More tomorrow. I want to go hug my daughters.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Why am I doing this?
Because 141 days ago I started on a quest to better myself and to write for 365 days while not watching news.
Today was long, but productive. The lessons learned today are: Expect the best and you'll likely get it, and keep your promises.
More tomorrow. I want to go hug my daughters.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Day # 140 - Quiet Time
Are you awakened by an alarm clock? Or are you one of those people like myself, who wake up early even when you would rather be asleep? I am sitting down to write at 5:30 but I have been up since before 5:00. Some people think it's nuts to wake up this early unless you have a flight to catch or there's a drill sergeant in your face.
I had lunch with my son earlier this week and he asked me about writing. It seems he is developing the desire to write, but can't figure out when. I know he is like me in that his sleep patterns are erratic, so I told him to take advantage of the small hours. There's a lot to be said for working early in the morning when all you hear is the ticking of the clock and the settling of the house. At this time in the morning, nothing has happened to ruin your day or cloud your thoughts. Your mind is as clear as it will be all day.
Back when I was writing novels and screenplays, I would wake up early, write for an hour or two, and then get ready for work. This was ideal because I could go to bed each night knowing I'd done my writing, and there were never any ideas nagging me throughout the day. There was never the feeling of not having done what I should have done. Only the peace that one gets from accomplishing the task at hand.
Since I've been writing this column, I have almost always written before doing anything else. As time is progressing, I am becoming more disciplined about it, even ignoring the desire to check my emails until later on, after I'm done. In fact, my phone chimed before I started. A month ago, I would have stopped to check the message, today, I walked away. There is little chance of it being something incredibly important or time sensitive, and as my sister used to say, "if it's an emergency, they'll call 911."
The lesson is to embrace the silence. There will be plenty of time all day for noise. I am not speaking specifically about writing. Use the small hours to read, pray, meditate, write to loved ones, reflect, whatever. Don't curse the fact that you are awake, if you are, embrace it. Know that it is God waking you up, not your problems. Still your mind and listen. Rumi said, "the morning breeze has secrets to tell you, do not go back to sleep."
God bless you. Make it a great, productive day.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
I had lunch with my son earlier this week and he asked me about writing. It seems he is developing the desire to write, but can't figure out when. I know he is like me in that his sleep patterns are erratic, so I told him to take advantage of the small hours. There's a lot to be said for working early in the morning when all you hear is the ticking of the clock and the settling of the house. At this time in the morning, nothing has happened to ruin your day or cloud your thoughts. Your mind is as clear as it will be all day.
Back when I was writing novels and screenplays, I would wake up early, write for an hour or two, and then get ready for work. This was ideal because I could go to bed each night knowing I'd done my writing, and there were never any ideas nagging me throughout the day. There was never the feeling of not having done what I should have done. Only the peace that one gets from accomplishing the task at hand.
Since I've been writing this column, I have almost always written before doing anything else. As time is progressing, I am becoming more disciplined about it, even ignoring the desire to check my emails until later on, after I'm done. In fact, my phone chimed before I started. A month ago, I would have stopped to check the message, today, I walked away. There is little chance of it being something incredibly important or time sensitive, and as my sister used to say, "if it's an emergency, they'll call 911."
The lesson is to embrace the silence. There will be plenty of time all day for noise. I am not speaking specifically about writing. Use the small hours to read, pray, meditate, write to loved ones, reflect, whatever. Don't curse the fact that you are awake, if you are, embrace it. Know that it is God waking you up, not your problems. Still your mind and listen. Rumi said, "the morning breeze has secrets to tell you, do not go back to sleep."
God bless you. Make it a great, productive day.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Day # 139 - Stop Venting
You ever feel the need to vent? Of course you do. You have a bad day or you have a confrontation with a co-worker and you are seething. Oh, man are you ticked off! You can't control the rage. You're trembling and you want to strangle that person. So, you come home to your significant other, or your kids, or your dog, and you let it all out! Of course, the venting session typically lasts longer than the event that gave you the need to vent. Also, venting tends to escalate, doesn't it? You get more and more worked up as you tell the story and soon, it becomes personal about the person you had the episode with and you're remembering all the other things that person has done and your night is ruined.
I had one of those days yesterday. I chose not to vent. I chose not to get worked up. I dealt with the situation and then let it slide. No, it wasn't easy. No, I can't guarantee I will do it every time. It's sometimes healthy to vent, so long as it doesn't become a snowball of excrement. The difference was, instead of coming home and reliving the experience, I got home and lived. That's the better deal any way you look at it.
A wise man said, "Don't listen to your critics. Don't even ignore them." I think this can apply to all the negativity that is thrown at us each day. Don't even ignore it. By choosing to ignore something, we are acknowledging its existence. For example, I don't ignore unicorns. Why should I? They don't exist.
We assign value to people and events by the attention we give them, by the space in our life we allow them. It's like the monster under your bed: it only exists as long as you let it exist. End it.
God bless you. Make it your best day yet.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
I had one of those days yesterday. I chose not to vent. I chose not to get worked up. I dealt with the situation and then let it slide. No, it wasn't easy. No, I can't guarantee I will do it every time. It's sometimes healthy to vent, so long as it doesn't become a snowball of excrement. The difference was, instead of coming home and reliving the experience, I got home and lived. That's the better deal any way you look at it.
A wise man said, "Don't listen to your critics. Don't even ignore them." I think this can apply to all the negativity that is thrown at us each day. Don't even ignore it. By choosing to ignore something, we are acknowledging its existence. For example, I don't ignore unicorns. Why should I? They don't exist.
We assign value to people and events by the attention we give them, by the space in our life we allow them. It's like the monster under your bed: it only exists as long as you let it exist. End it.
God bless you. Make it your best day yet.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Day # 138 - Ideas
There are two schools of thoughts when it comes to those sudden flashes of brilliance we call ideas: some say write it down immediately; others say don't write it down. If the idea has merit, you won't forget it.
I have written creatively for years, although I haven't done much of it the last couple of years. I am starting again and I have had a couple of good ideas in the last few weeks. I have developed them in my head. Last night, I was woken by a very vivid dream - one that would make a great movie, or screenplay. I thought of writing it down but decided to let it stand on its own legs. Lo and behold it is still here and the idea is developing.
I have a lot going on at this time, but there is always room for a little more, I guess. Especially if creative writing is something I truly care about. How could I not make the time?
Ideas are all good to some extent or other, but rarely are they complete when first hatched. They are always in need of development. If you are willing to work on the idea, first in your head, then on paper, you can usually clear away the rough and find a diamond in there. The question, as is so often the case, is how hard are you willing to work for it? What are you willing to trade for your idea? For the accomplishment of your goal? For making your dreams come true?
Write it down or let it marinate? The answer is do what words for you. But do something.
God bless you. Make it your best day yet.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
I have written creatively for years, although I haven't done much of it the last couple of years. I am starting again and I have had a couple of good ideas in the last few weeks. I have developed them in my head. Last night, I was woken by a very vivid dream - one that would make a great movie, or screenplay. I thought of writing it down but decided to let it stand on its own legs. Lo and behold it is still here and the idea is developing.
I have a lot going on at this time, but there is always room for a little more, I guess. Especially if creative writing is something I truly care about. How could I not make the time?
Ideas are all good to some extent or other, but rarely are they complete when first hatched. They are always in need of development. If you are willing to work on the idea, first in your head, then on paper, you can usually clear away the rough and find a diamond in there. The question, as is so often the case, is how hard are you willing to work for it? What are you willing to trade for your idea? For the accomplishment of your goal? For making your dreams come true?
Write it down or let it marinate? The answer is do what words for you. But do something.
God bless you. Make it your best day yet.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Monday, October 11, 2010
Day # 137 - Boys Will Be Jerks
Yesterday was my daughter's birthday. We ended the day at the park. There we other kids there. Abby and I walked the track adjacent to the playground while the girls played. At one point Melissa comes over and tells us that there is a boy messing with her, calling her names, etc. His mother is within earshot. We're not, so we decide to sit down near the playground.
Soon enough, Melissa and the little boy are wrestling. We break it up. The boy was actually physically attacking my daughter. The mother tells him to apologize and he refuses. We leave. Melissa is very upset, crying, and we spend the next hour trying to get her to understand why the little twerp wasn't worth the aggravation.
What aggravated me was his mother. If I ever caught one of my sons hitting a girl, I would have gone to jail for whipping the kid to within inches of his life. No way would I permit that. It leaves me with questions like, where did he learn that it's okay for a boy to hit a girl? When is it okay to disobey your mother? After all, she told him to apologize and he flatly refused.
I was never one to hit my kids, but if that had been my son, he'd be out there right now with a flashlight looking for his teeth.
Part of me wanted to laugh and I wasn't rude about it, I just took my daughters home. It was getting late and today being a school day, they needed to shower and get to bed. The truth is, part of me wanted to let her sucker-punch the little snot. Put him on his hindquarters and traumatize him real good.
But, what does it solve? I can't use my children to discipline other people's kids, but that kid better watch his but.
If you are a parent of boys, teach them to be gentlemen. The things we are allowed to get away with as kids are the things we will expect to get away with as adults. If there are no consequences for a boy hitting a girl, why should that boy expect consequences when he becomes a man and he strikes a woman?
This doesn't just apply to domestic violence, but to all behaviors. We let our kids eat whatever they want, then we lose it when they're fat or won't eat their vegetables. We let them stay up late and yell when they don't wake up for school. We curse in front of them and wonder where the gutter language comes from. I have witnessed the cycles of ignorance and poverty perpetuate themselves my whole life. I have seen people who have nothing want the same for their kids. People who made the wrong choices in life refusing to accept responsibility for their choices by telling their kids that it's because of their race, ethnicity, gender, or social status, and telling their kids they can expect the same. What greater sin is there than to condemn your children to repeat your mistakes?
By not disciplining her child, the woman at the park was planting a strangler vine in the garden of his life. By allowing him to bully a girl, she is teaching him that this is the way to get a woman to fall in line. The punishment should have been harsh and severe. Not because it was my little girl, but because twenty years from now, it will be someone else's little girl.
Spare the rod, spoil the child. Oh well, better theirs than mine,
God bless you. Make it your best day yet.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Soon enough, Melissa and the little boy are wrestling. We break it up. The boy was actually physically attacking my daughter. The mother tells him to apologize and he refuses. We leave. Melissa is very upset, crying, and we spend the next hour trying to get her to understand why the little twerp wasn't worth the aggravation.
What aggravated me was his mother. If I ever caught one of my sons hitting a girl, I would have gone to jail for whipping the kid to within inches of his life. No way would I permit that. It leaves me with questions like, where did he learn that it's okay for a boy to hit a girl? When is it okay to disobey your mother? After all, she told him to apologize and he flatly refused.
I was never one to hit my kids, but if that had been my son, he'd be out there right now with a flashlight looking for his teeth.
Part of me wanted to laugh and I wasn't rude about it, I just took my daughters home. It was getting late and today being a school day, they needed to shower and get to bed. The truth is, part of me wanted to let her sucker-punch the little snot. Put him on his hindquarters and traumatize him real good.
But, what does it solve? I can't use my children to discipline other people's kids, but that kid better watch his but.
If you are a parent of boys, teach them to be gentlemen. The things we are allowed to get away with as kids are the things we will expect to get away with as adults. If there are no consequences for a boy hitting a girl, why should that boy expect consequences when he becomes a man and he strikes a woman?
This doesn't just apply to domestic violence, but to all behaviors. We let our kids eat whatever they want, then we lose it when they're fat or won't eat their vegetables. We let them stay up late and yell when they don't wake up for school. We curse in front of them and wonder where the gutter language comes from. I have witnessed the cycles of ignorance and poverty perpetuate themselves my whole life. I have seen people who have nothing want the same for their kids. People who made the wrong choices in life refusing to accept responsibility for their choices by telling their kids that it's because of their race, ethnicity, gender, or social status, and telling their kids they can expect the same. What greater sin is there than to condemn your children to repeat your mistakes?
By not disciplining her child, the woman at the park was planting a strangler vine in the garden of his life. By allowing him to bully a girl, she is teaching him that this is the way to get a woman to fall in line. The punishment should have been harsh and severe. Not because it was my little girl, but because twenty years from now, it will be someone else's little girl.
Spare the rod, spoil the child. Oh well, better theirs than mine,
God bless you. Make it your best day yet.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Day # 136 - Happy Birthday Mookie
My daughter Melissa is 8 years old today. 10/10/10 - What a date. What a kid. She's talked about nothing but her birthday for the last couple of days, but not just about presents and cake. She's been reminding me that she will still be my little girl even though she's going to be eight years old. To say she's a sweet kid would be an understatement. She has a sweetness and a maturity that I've never seen in a little girl her age. I am proud of my small part in it.
I've always told her she is my little girl and that I am proud of her. When she does well, she is praised. When she does less than her best, she is counseled. When she does poorly, she is punished. I am raising a future doctor or president of a major corporation or philanthropist. I am raising a leader and this cannot be accomplished by celebrating mediocrity or by excusing less-than-her-best performance.
I know she is a child and I make sure she knows it, but I am not about to allow what I've always referred to as "sentimental retardation" make me so soft that I stop being a father. I don't need to be her friend, I have plenty of friends and so does she.
So, in a while, she she will open her gifts (she just woke up and came in to say hello) and we'll go to church and she'll tell everyone there it's her birthday and she'll love the attention. She deserves the attention. She's a sweet kid who brings happiness to everyone she meets. A blessing. An angel. That God has blessed me with her is overwhelming. I have four kids and all of them are, in their own way, extraordinary. A day like today, when one of them has a birthday, is cause for celebration times four.
Take time today to remind your child how much they mean to you. Even if you want to pick them up and throw them in the nearest city dump. Every kid makes you nuts sometimes, but it's a small price to pay for the joy, the humility, and the possibilities they bring.
So, happy 8th birthday, Mookie. I love you more and more each day. Your daddy is proud and the most blessed man in all the world.
Go hug a kid - any kid.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
I've always told her she is my little girl and that I am proud of her. When she does well, she is praised. When she does less than her best, she is counseled. When she does poorly, she is punished. I am raising a future doctor or president of a major corporation or philanthropist. I am raising a leader and this cannot be accomplished by celebrating mediocrity or by excusing less-than-her-best performance.
I know she is a child and I make sure she knows it, but I am not about to allow what I've always referred to as "sentimental retardation" make me so soft that I stop being a father. I don't need to be her friend, I have plenty of friends and so does she.
So, in a while, she she will open her gifts (she just woke up and came in to say hello) and we'll go to church and she'll tell everyone there it's her birthday and she'll love the attention. She deserves the attention. She's a sweet kid who brings happiness to everyone she meets. A blessing. An angel. That God has blessed me with her is overwhelming. I have four kids and all of them are, in their own way, extraordinary. A day like today, when one of them has a birthday, is cause for celebration times four.
Take time today to remind your child how much they mean to you. Even if you want to pick them up and throw them in the nearest city dump. Every kid makes you nuts sometimes, but it's a small price to pay for the joy, the humility, and the possibilities they bring.
So, happy 8th birthday, Mookie. I love you more and more each day. Your daddy is proud and the most blessed man in all the world.
Go hug a kid - any kid.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Day # 135 - Gifts
A good friend gave me a book yesterday. I think it may be one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received. It's called "The Four Agreements" and while I haven't read it yet, I have read the introduction and I already know it's going to be life-changing.
The four agreements are:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
Four very simple rules, but it is usually in simplicity that we find truth. Jesus spoke in parables and conveyed the wisdom of the ages in his uncomplicated words. Confucius did the same, as did the great philosophers. It is in the modern era that people feel compelled to complicate matters. Most "philosophers" are more interested in seeming intellectually superior than with really unlocking the secrets of human potential.
I hope to get through the book this weekend. I will report back when I am done. I am, at this time, reading "Atlas Shrugged" which is a masterpiece and approximately six trillion pages long. But I am enjoying it. Long live Objectivism! (Those of you who have studied Ayn Rand will understand.)
So I intend to share with you what was shared with me. I believe it's the best way I can show appreciation for my friend's thoughtfulness. She knows who she is and this post is my way of blowing her a kiss.
Make it your best day. Read a book and share the knowledge contained in its pages. This is how we create wisdom, by taking what is given to us and using it to increase the value of others.
God bless you.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
The four agreements are:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
Four very simple rules, but it is usually in simplicity that we find truth. Jesus spoke in parables and conveyed the wisdom of the ages in his uncomplicated words. Confucius did the same, as did the great philosophers. It is in the modern era that people feel compelled to complicate matters. Most "philosophers" are more interested in seeming intellectually superior than with really unlocking the secrets of human potential.
I hope to get through the book this weekend. I will report back when I am done. I am, at this time, reading "Atlas Shrugged" which is a masterpiece and approximately six trillion pages long. But I am enjoying it. Long live Objectivism! (Those of you who have studied Ayn Rand will understand.)
So I intend to share with you what was shared with me. I believe it's the best way I can show appreciation for my friend's thoughtfulness. She knows who she is and this post is my way of blowing her a kiss.
Make it your best day. Read a book and share the knowledge contained in its pages. This is how we create wisdom, by taking what is given to us and using it to increase the value of others.
God bless you.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Friday, October 8, 2010
Day # 134 - Ms. Rodriguez
She's standing in the hotel lobby and as I walk by she stops me. She asks if I am the manager. I tell her I am and she asks if I know of a local church with office hours. Since I don't know the answer (my church is a little too far) I offer to look it up for her. She follows me to my office and sits in front of my desk. I start searching and she starts talking. She tells me her identity has been stolen and that a police officer and his girlfriend have stolen everything from her as well as abused her in so many other ways.
I get through to a shelter and the woman on the phone is completely indifferent. She cuts me off and tells me they have no space, offering no further assistance. Ms. Rodriguez keeps talking. She asks about my dark features and if I'm Hispanic. I tell her my parents were both born in Cuba. She tells me she was in Cuba in 1997 and what a nice guy Fidel Castro is (she's lost me at this point.) I tell her I would love to meet Castro so I could stab him in the eye with a rusty icepick.
I'm having no luck finding a place to send her. She keeps talking, telling me about the $900 million that the black church stole from her and how she is being tracked. When I print up a web page for her, and there is a picture of a black person on it, she tells me "they" did it. They are watching her and they decide what happens. She warns me to stay away from black women. She tells me "they're voodoo" and will ruin me. She tells me about how the black church used $600 trillion to get Barack Obama elected. I want to tell her that there isn't that much money in the world, but what's the use. Although she is clean and articulate, she is obviously sick. She is calmly ranting about the evil black man and woman and how she intends to use her money (when she gets it back from the evil black church) to put through a bill in congress that will legalize any Hispanic person in the US illegally.
The thing about Ms. Rodriguez is, she's black herself. She spoke no Spanish. When I put her on the phone with an attendant, she handed me back the phone, saying she wasn't going to "talk with no n----r." I explained to her that the woman on the phone was obviously Hispanic, and a couple of minutes later, she finally got on the phone. I gave her money for a cab to get her to the shelter and she eventually left.
Now, it's obvious Ms. Rodriguez was sick. She had written manifestos, of which she gave me a copy. She painted her nails with my liquid paper, and was all over the place, mentally speaking. I don't know that she would have been a danger to anyone, herself included, but she was in need of help and it seemed pretty damn near impossible to find it for her.
How is it that a government that taxes the hell out of us under the pretense of "spreading the wealth around" has no services that can be offered to a person such as this? Christ said what you do the least among you, you do to me. Well, he must be pissed. This woman was no drug addict. She struck me as someone of at least average intelligence and of some education. She was paranoid, of that I'm sure, and what else?
We spend billions of dollars on Woodstock museums and bridges to nowhere and the NEA and to fund abortions. We pay farmers not to grow food in order to artificially inflate food prices while the rest of the world starves. I have no doubt that God put Ms. Rodriguez in my life for a reason. I believe I did the right thing. I tried to get her help. I got her to a shelter and I am praying that she finds the help she needs. While I did what seemed like enough at the moment, I wonder if it was. I wonder if I failed a test. I wonder if my humanity was enough. I wonder where she slept last night. I wonder if she slept last night. I wonder. I wonder. I wonder...
If you are given the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life, you must. You do have time. You can spare a few dollars. You can help. Be a blessing to others and God will bless you.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
I get through to a shelter and the woman on the phone is completely indifferent. She cuts me off and tells me they have no space, offering no further assistance. Ms. Rodriguez keeps talking. She asks about my dark features and if I'm Hispanic. I tell her my parents were both born in Cuba. She tells me she was in Cuba in 1997 and what a nice guy Fidel Castro is (she's lost me at this point.) I tell her I would love to meet Castro so I could stab him in the eye with a rusty icepick.
I'm having no luck finding a place to send her. She keeps talking, telling me about the $900 million that the black church stole from her and how she is being tracked. When I print up a web page for her, and there is a picture of a black person on it, she tells me "they" did it. They are watching her and they decide what happens. She warns me to stay away from black women. She tells me "they're voodoo" and will ruin me. She tells me about how the black church used $600 trillion to get Barack Obama elected. I want to tell her that there isn't that much money in the world, but what's the use. Although she is clean and articulate, she is obviously sick. She is calmly ranting about the evil black man and woman and how she intends to use her money (when she gets it back from the evil black church) to put through a bill in congress that will legalize any Hispanic person in the US illegally.
The thing about Ms. Rodriguez is, she's black herself. She spoke no Spanish. When I put her on the phone with an attendant, she handed me back the phone, saying she wasn't going to "talk with no n----r." I explained to her that the woman on the phone was obviously Hispanic, and a couple of minutes later, she finally got on the phone. I gave her money for a cab to get her to the shelter and she eventually left.
Now, it's obvious Ms. Rodriguez was sick. She had written manifestos, of which she gave me a copy. She painted her nails with my liquid paper, and was all over the place, mentally speaking. I don't know that she would have been a danger to anyone, herself included, but she was in need of help and it seemed pretty damn near impossible to find it for her.
How is it that a government that taxes the hell out of us under the pretense of "spreading the wealth around" has no services that can be offered to a person such as this? Christ said what you do the least among you, you do to me. Well, he must be pissed. This woman was no drug addict. She struck me as someone of at least average intelligence and of some education. She was paranoid, of that I'm sure, and what else?
We spend billions of dollars on Woodstock museums and bridges to nowhere and the NEA and to fund abortions. We pay farmers not to grow food in order to artificially inflate food prices while the rest of the world starves. I have no doubt that God put Ms. Rodriguez in my life for a reason. I believe I did the right thing. I tried to get her help. I got her to a shelter and I am praying that she finds the help she needs. While I did what seemed like enough at the moment, I wonder if it was. I wonder if I failed a test. I wonder if my humanity was enough. I wonder where she slept last night. I wonder if she slept last night. I wonder. I wonder. I wonder...
If you are given the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life, you must. You do have time. You can spare a few dollars. You can help. Be a blessing to others and God will bless you.
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Day # 133 - Disconnect
I was having a wonderful evening, working on the new family business and Abby's website when my phone chimed, letting me know I had an email. I won't go into it, but this email ruined my mood. There are people in the world who are lousy communicators, and there are the jerks. Sometime you run into people who are both. I know we should not allow these people any power over us, but I have a hard time letting things go - especially when the situation is far from over.
The problems presented by the email are going to be eventually solved, I know that. I also know when I'm being screwed and that is what's most upsetting: knowing it and having no options. I don't intend to let this ruin my life. I will make the best of it and move on and up.
In this age of 24 hour connectivity, it's hard to avoid distractions and interruptions. Hard, that is, unless we make a conscious effort to turn off the noise. You know the emails are either gossip, BS, or bad news, so put the phone far from your place of relaxation. Close the email program. Don't answer when the Bad News Bears are calling. You know who they are. Ignore them. Run like hell when you see them coming. Do not allow lesser people to ruin your day. You let them do it often enough and they will have ruined your entire life. Of all the worthless reasons to ruin a perfectly good life, these people are the worst of the bunch. Eliminate them from your life. If they're family or co-workers, limit contact to the absolute essentials and see the improvement in your life.
Promise yourself a little no-electronics time every day. At least an hour when you don't go online, update Twitter or Facebook, and you don't look at email. If you can make it several hours, it's even better.
Even as I write this, I fell into the trap. Avoid it. Avoid it like the plague it is!
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
The problems presented by the email are going to be eventually solved, I know that. I also know when I'm being screwed and that is what's most upsetting: knowing it and having no options. I don't intend to let this ruin my life. I will make the best of it and move on and up.
In this age of 24 hour connectivity, it's hard to avoid distractions and interruptions. Hard, that is, unless we make a conscious effort to turn off the noise. You know the emails are either gossip, BS, or bad news, so put the phone far from your place of relaxation. Close the email program. Don't answer when the Bad News Bears are calling. You know who they are. Ignore them. Run like hell when you see them coming. Do not allow lesser people to ruin your day. You let them do it often enough and they will have ruined your entire life. Of all the worthless reasons to ruin a perfectly good life, these people are the worst of the bunch. Eliminate them from your life. If they're family or co-workers, limit contact to the absolute essentials and see the improvement in your life.
Promise yourself a little no-electronics time every day. At least an hour when you don't go online, update Twitter or Facebook, and you don't look at email. If you can make it several hours, it's even better.
Even as I write this, I fell into the trap. Avoid it. Avoid it like the plague it is!
- Adolfo
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Day # 132 - Listening and Being Heard
I had a conversation with a friend yesterday. She's a terrific lady. She has a great attitude in spite of the challenges she is facing. She called me for a bit of guidance and we got that part of the conversation out of the way pretty quickly. After that, it was a free-for-all. We talked about different challenges we face and how we deal with them. We laughed and we were serious. It could have gone on forever but I had to get back to work. There will be more conversations with this friend and I look forward to them.
There are times when we need a problem solved, times when we need advice, and other times when we just need to be heard. I am no psychologist, and I don't have all the answers, but I can offer perspective. I'm not particularly proud or impressed with myself because of it. Anyone can be a friend by listening and offering, not advice, but insight.
I once read that wisdom is when we can listen to others' problems without talking about our own. I don't think I'm anywhere near that, but I don't know how accurate that definition of wisdom is. Besides, what's wisdom? It's something that comes with age and I'd like to think of myself as too young to lay claim to anything that comes with age. My children would disagree.
Do you have someone you can talk to? I don't mean someone you call when you have the uncontrollable urge to vent, piss, and moan. I mean someone you just talk to. Hi, how're you doing? Did you hear the one about the armadillo that went to medical school? That sort of thing. It's important that your conversations are well-rounded. If you talk to friends and just complain, soon that friend will roll their eyes whenever you call and soon after that, they will stop answering your calls altogether.
My conversation yesterday covered a lot of ground and I look forward to the next one. There will be no eye-rolling here.
So, what kind of friend are you? Do you give as much as, or more than, you take? If not, you will eventually start losing friends. Be the friend that makes people happy. Be the friend people want to talk to you. Remember that everything you put out into the universe will come back multiple times. Good, bad, or ugly, this law applies.
So thanks again to my friend. You did more for me than you know. God bless you.
Make it your best day yet and make someone else's day better, too.
- Adolfo
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
There are times when we need a problem solved, times when we need advice, and other times when we just need to be heard. I am no psychologist, and I don't have all the answers, but I can offer perspective. I'm not particularly proud or impressed with myself because of it. Anyone can be a friend by listening and offering, not advice, but insight.
I once read that wisdom is when we can listen to others' problems without talking about our own. I don't think I'm anywhere near that, but I don't know how accurate that definition of wisdom is. Besides, what's wisdom? It's something that comes with age and I'd like to think of myself as too young to lay claim to anything that comes with age. My children would disagree.
Do you have someone you can talk to? I don't mean someone you call when you have the uncontrollable urge to vent, piss, and moan. I mean someone you just talk to. Hi, how're you doing? Did you hear the one about the armadillo that went to medical school? That sort of thing. It's important that your conversations are well-rounded. If you talk to friends and just complain, soon that friend will roll their eyes whenever you call and soon after that, they will stop answering your calls altogether.
My conversation yesterday covered a lot of ground and I look forward to the next one. There will be no eye-rolling here.
So, what kind of friend are you? Do you give as much as, or more than, you take? If not, you will eventually start losing friends. Be the friend that makes people happy. Be the friend people want to talk to you. Remember that everything you put out into the universe will come back multiple times. Good, bad, or ugly, this law applies.
So thanks again to my friend. You did more for me than you know. God bless you.
Make it your best day yet and make someone else's day better, too.
- Adolfo
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Day # 131 - Lead Us Not Into Incompetence
All your life you will find yourself dealing with incompetent people. We can't all be Einsteins; Lord knows I'm not, but there's something worse thant plain old incompetence and that's incompetence coupled with authority, arrogance, or ignorance, or worse, all three.
You'll always recognize this because the offender will blame their ignorance on what you are doing. You will explain yourself or your action or your report or whatever. It will be obvious they don't get it, and they will respond with, "I'll get back to you," or "I'll look into it," and they drop the subject completely. People like this have the power to ruin your day if you let them.
The key is: don't let them. Know that they are a test and take it upon yourself to educate the poor fools. I say they are a test because sometimes God will use certain people which are in certain spots to test your resolve, your faith, or your confidence. Accept that it's a test, don't fly off the handle, and do your best at everything.
I am not implying that I am perfect or all-knowing. I have probably been the fool in someone else's scenario more than once, but we won't get into that. My point is that everything should be taken as a growth and learning opportunity and the most should be made of it. Look at these people as teachers, the course is What Not To Do 101. Pay close attention in this class. You'll be glad you did.
Make it your best day, in spite of the turkeys. God bless you.
- Adolfo
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
You'll always recognize this because the offender will blame their ignorance on what you are doing. You will explain yourself or your action or your report or whatever. It will be obvious they don't get it, and they will respond with, "I'll get back to you," or "I'll look into it," and they drop the subject completely. People like this have the power to ruin your day if you let them.
The key is: don't let them. Know that they are a test and take it upon yourself to educate the poor fools. I say they are a test because sometimes God will use certain people which are in certain spots to test your resolve, your faith, or your confidence. Accept that it's a test, don't fly off the handle, and do your best at everything.
I am not implying that I am perfect or all-knowing. I have probably been the fool in someone else's scenario more than once, but we won't get into that. My point is that everything should be taken as a growth and learning opportunity and the most should be made of it. Look at these people as teachers, the course is What Not To Do 101. Pay close attention in this class. You'll be glad you did.
Make it your best day, in spite of the turkeys. God bless you.
- Adolfo
http://www.adolfojimenez.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Monday, October 4, 2010
Day # 130 - Smiling Through the Pain
I suppose it's part of getting old. We gain wisdom. We gain experience. We gain pain in places we didn't know existed. As I write this (6:07 AM) I am in the worst physical pain I have ever experienced in my life. I seem to have injured my back working on a home improvement project about a month ago. It didn't seem too bad at first so I thought it was just muscle soreness but it's obvious there's something else here. I own a small business that requires physical labor, most of which I do myself. Yesterday, I hit the wall. I had to call in my son for backup.
My point is that even when we feel young on the inside, we have to take care of the outside. For too long I have neglected to take care of myself. This has resulted in my weight being higher than my social security number, hurts and pains everywhere, and... where the hell did my hair go?
So today, I'm going to the doctor. Or, at least, I'll call to make an appointment.
I remember a lady named Margaret Fox I had the privilege of knowing. She lived to 99. She was almost blind but very feisty and she would say, "It's hell getting old." I loved and respected her, but I have decided to disagree with her. Getting old must be what we make of it. I have made very little of this but I plan to turn that around. Starting with my back.
If something hurts, go to the doctor. Get an annual checkup. Get your teeth cleaned. Eat right, get enough sleep and exercise and drink lots of water. These things are simple. Of course, what's easy to do is easy not to do. But you must do it and do it now, because time is a thief and tomorrow is almost here, today is almost gone, and there is no reset button.
God bless you and make it your best day yet.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
My point is that even when we feel young on the inside, we have to take care of the outside. For too long I have neglected to take care of myself. This has resulted in my weight being higher than my social security number, hurts and pains everywhere, and... where the hell did my hair go?
So today, I'm going to the doctor. Or, at least, I'll call to make an appointment.
I remember a lady named Margaret Fox I had the privilege of knowing. She lived to 99. She was almost blind but very feisty and she would say, "It's hell getting old." I loved and respected her, but I have decided to disagree with her. Getting old must be what we make of it. I have made very little of this but I plan to turn that around. Starting with my back.
If something hurts, go to the doctor. Get an annual checkup. Get your teeth cleaned. Eat right, get enough sleep and exercise and drink lots of water. These things are simple. Of course, what's easy to do is easy not to do. But you must do it and do it now, because time is a thief and tomorrow is almost here, today is almost gone, and there is no reset button.
God bless you and make it your best day yet.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Day # 129 - Believe It!
A friend of mine called me on Thursday, letting me know that a spot opened up in a cake-decorating competition to be held on Saturday (yesterday.) She asked if Abby would be interested in competing. My initial reaction was to decline, but I thought it best to let Abby decide. Abby accepted and this started 48 very sweet and stressful hours. Even I got in the action, helping with the baking and PR at the event.
Abby won! That's right, my girl won! If it was up to me, we would have sat at home, wouldn't have challenged ourselves, gotten the great exposure or experience and I'd have nothing to write about this morning.
I will post pictures of the winning cake on Facebook if you're interested in seeing it, but the lesson has nothing to do with sugar art.
Abby made the right choice. Even if she'd lost, her choice would have been the right one. Fear of failure is the most paralyzing, limiting thought in the universe. The inability to act when an opportunity arises is no better. Simply put: failure to act is the only action that guarantees failure.
To be clear, I was not afraid of losing, but my initial reaction was that it couldn't be done. Our competitor came with a cake that was twice as big as ours and was already done! She has twenty years of experience, her training and business have taken her around the world! But we won. We would never have won if we'd sat out.
Never be afraid to take a chance. Never let an opportunity pass you by. Never miss a chance to exhibit your talent, your ability, your greatness. Congrats to my Abby. I love you and I couldn't be prouder.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Abby won! That's right, my girl won! If it was up to me, we would have sat at home, wouldn't have challenged ourselves, gotten the great exposure or experience and I'd have nothing to write about this morning.
I will post pictures of the winning cake on Facebook if you're interested in seeing it, but the lesson has nothing to do with sugar art.
Abby made the right choice. Even if she'd lost, her choice would have been the right one. Fear of failure is the most paralyzing, limiting thought in the universe. The inability to act when an opportunity arises is no better. Simply put: failure to act is the only action that guarantees failure.
To be clear, I was not afraid of losing, but my initial reaction was that it couldn't be done. Our competitor came with a cake that was twice as big as ours and was already done! She has twenty years of experience, her training and business have taken her around the world! But we won. We would never have won if we'd sat out.
Never be afraid to take a chance. Never let an opportunity pass you by. Never miss a chance to exhibit your talent, your ability, your greatness. Congrats to my Abby. I love you and I couldn't be prouder.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Day # 128 - No News is Good News
I am a Yahoo! user. If you're familiar with Yahoo! you know that their home page is loaded with information including news headlines. I'd call them deadlines for what they do to your spirit. This is not a dig at Yahoo!, this is a comment on the nature of the stories being reported. The headlines right now are about 36 people dead in a train crash and bank robbers killing a poor security guard. Has nothing else happened in the world in the last 24 hours? In the last 24 minutes?
This is what we are force-fed, and I believe it is destroying dreams and happiness. Further, I believe the helplessness one feels as a result of this feeds the government and the "news" organizations, giving them more and more power over our lives.
I used to be one of those people, reading news all the time, pausing whenever a TV was tuned to CNN, my car radio was always tuned to the news station. I feel as if God was trying to do good things in my life but I was so focused on all the bad things happening in the world that I ignored Him.
If you are a news junkie, stop. I'm not saying become uninformed or ignorant, just cut down on the amount of garbage you consume. Think of it as eating one cookie instead of a whole box of cookies. Satisfy the craving without overdoing it. Since I have cut out the noise, I have noticed an incredible difference in my life. I am more positive, closer to the people I love, I don't lose my temper the way I used to. Part of this, of course, is because I committed to make my life better in every way, but there is no doubt in my mind that I would not have made these strides if I was still eating garbage three hours a day.
Replace the news with a positive, uplifting book, or dedicate the time to learning a new skill, something you've always dreamed of doing but thought you never had the time. Every minute spent glued to the idiot box is wasted and does not improve your life one bit. Put that time to better use.
Start right now.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
This is what we are force-fed, and I believe it is destroying dreams and happiness. Further, I believe the helplessness one feels as a result of this feeds the government and the "news" organizations, giving them more and more power over our lives.
I used to be one of those people, reading news all the time, pausing whenever a TV was tuned to CNN, my car radio was always tuned to the news station. I feel as if God was trying to do good things in my life but I was so focused on all the bad things happening in the world that I ignored Him.
If you are a news junkie, stop. I'm not saying become uninformed or ignorant, just cut down on the amount of garbage you consume. Think of it as eating one cookie instead of a whole box of cookies. Satisfy the craving without overdoing it. Since I have cut out the noise, I have noticed an incredible difference in my life. I am more positive, closer to the people I love, I don't lose my temper the way I used to. Part of this, of course, is because I committed to make my life better in every way, but there is no doubt in my mind that I would not have made these strides if I was still eating garbage three hours a day.
Replace the news with a positive, uplifting book, or dedicate the time to learning a new skill, something you've always dreamed of doing but thought you never had the time. Every minute spent glued to the idiot box is wasted and does not improve your life one bit. Put that time to better use.
Start right now.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Friday, October 1, 2010
Day # 127 - Taming the Wild Bureaucrats
The last couple of days I have focused on happiness. It is the main reason why I am writing this blog and it's the aim in our lives. Think of anything you want, a spouse, a dog, a million bucks, and you'll see the reason you want those things is for happiness. We each define our own happiness, but I can tell you without a doubt that if we can't control the little things, the big things mean absolutely nothing.
I was in Downtown Miami yesterday in court, taking care of a small, but fairly significant legal issue. I don't like the government, I dislike bureaucracy and I hate intentional inefficiency. These things are part of my nature. I can't help it. I went to the government office on Wednesday to start this process. Due to the rain, it took me two hours to get there. I made the most of the time, making phone calls to clients and listening to positive books on CD.
I felt like the devil himself was trying to turn me back. I even made a wrong turn on the way. I thought of leaving it for another day, but decided it was too important. The lady who helped me was so extremely helpful, I thought I was checking in to a 5-Star hotel. She gave me all the documents I needed, instructions, and even found me an appointment for the next day, when most times you have to wait a month to be helped.
I returned and was helped by another charming lady, who was extremely patient in helping me fill out the forms and getting them in order. Problem essentially solved. Bureaucracy tamed!
Why do I tell you this? Because I believe this went as smoothly as it did because I walked in with a smile and a positive expectation. I told myself this was going to be a pleasant experience. I got what I expected. If I had gone in there expecting it to be bad, it would have been. In fact, I would probably still be sitting in an uncomfortable chair waiting for my name to be called.
If this can work with the government, it can work with anything. Go in with the right mindset and you can do anything - and more pleasantly. Raise your expectations. Smile and choose happiness. Take a book wherever you go so the wait is not so unbearable and the time is used intelligently. I was shocked (eh not so much) that no one else in that waiting room had a book. There were plenty of people playing games on their cell phones, or chatting, complaining about the slow service, but no one was taking advantage of the time to enrich their lives.
Which one of those people are you? Are you the one with the book? Are you the one with the phone? Are you the one complaining to the person next to you?
Simply put: are you happy or unhappy?
Make the better choice.
God bless you. Make it your best day yet.
-Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
I was in Downtown Miami yesterday in court, taking care of a small, but fairly significant legal issue. I don't like the government, I dislike bureaucracy and I hate intentional inefficiency. These things are part of my nature. I can't help it. I went to the government office on Wednesday to start this process. Due to the rain, it took me two hours to get there. I made the most of the time, making phone calls to clients and listening to positive books on CD.
I felt like the devil himself was trying to turn me back. I even made a wrong turn on the way. I thought of leaving it for another day, but decided it was too important. The lady who helped me was so extremely helpful, I thought I was checking in to a 5-Star hotel. She gave me all the documents I needed, instructions, and even found me an appointment for the next day, when most times you have to wait a month to be helped.
I returned and was helped by another charming lady, who was extremely patient in helping me fill out the forms and getting them in order. Problem essentially solved. Bureaucracy tamed!
Why do I tell you this? Because I believe this went as smoothly as it did because I walked in with a smile and a positive expectation. I told myself this was going to be a pleasant experience. I got what I expected. If I had gone in there expecting it to be bad, it would have been. In fact, I would probably still be sitting in an uncomfortable chair waiting for my name to be called.
If this can work with the government, it can work with anything. Go in with the right mindset and you can do anything - and more pleasantly. Raise your expectations. Smile and choose happiness. Take a book wherever you go so the wait is not so unbearable and the time is used intelligently. I was shocked (eh not so much) that no one else in that waiting room had a book. There were plenty of people playing games on their cell phones, or chatting, complaining about the slow service, but no one was taking advantage of the time to enrich their lives.
Which one of those people are you? Are you the one with the book? Are you the one with the phone? Are you the one complaining to the person next to you?
Simply put: are you happy or unhappy?
Make the better choice.
God bless you. Make it your best day yet.
-Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
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