Day # 208 - A New Challenge

208 days of this and the complaint is still the same: I don't know what to write about. This may be the hardest thing I've ever committed to. And the next project just dawned on me: I am going to get organized. This is something I have half-heartedly worked on for a while, but now, I'm going to get serious about it.

I am a capable person. I believe I have a fair amount of talent, though I am not sure how to define my talent. I am a quick learner, a curious person. I could be great... if I could just remember where I left that piece of paper.

There is no doubt in my mind that I have lost deals or sales or money in my life time due to my lack of organization. Somehow that was never reason enough for me to straighten myself out. It should be reason enough, but even at this point it doesn't really motivate me. I want to organize myself because I know I should. Because it will make my life easier. Because it will make me more productive. Because my cluttered desk is making me bonkers!

So now the quest for neatness begins. I have already moved in this direction, but now I am being more serious and deliberate about it.

I'll let you know how it goes. Tomorrow and the day after, we'll talk about bridges.

God bless you. Make it your best, most organized day yet.

- Adolfo

Day # 207 - Frustration

Sometimes, when things are going exactly the way you want them to go, little things will pop up. You know, the little inconveniences that, if left unchecked, can ruin your entire day, or take away the happiness of the moment or the occasion that you should be enjoying.

We've all been there and unless you are pushing up daisies, you can expect to have more days like this. When those little things show up, smile. It's really that simple. Even if you don't feel like smiling... especially if you don't feel like smiling. It's one of those things. It's like exercising. You may not feel like running, but if you force yourself a couple times a week, soon it becomes a habit and you get to the point where the pain of not doing it far outweighs the pain of doing it.

Smile when things are going wrong, when there are a million challenges hitting you all at once, when the odds are stacked against you, all the time. Now, please don't make a fool of yourself. There are times that call for seriousness and you still have to be an adult, but in those moments, sit up straight, bright-eyed, and exude confidence and contentedness. You need to act the part if this is what you want for your life. No matter how stressed you may feel, keep smiling and expecting the best, and you'll get it.

God bless you. Make it your best day yet.

Day # 206 - Can't Sleep

My daughter Melissa loves to talk about how she's going to stay up all night watching movies. Every time she does this she ends up snoring by nine. Her regular bedtime is 8:30, so I don't sweat it. I fell asleep early last night, around ten, and here I am. If I'd gone to sleep at midnight and woken up at 5:00, it wouldn't bother me, but I've been up since two and I really had my heart set on sleeping.

Did I psych myself out? I don't think so. I fell asleep reading in bed, not because I went to bed to sleep.

I don't even know the point of what I'm trying to say here. Maybe I have no point.

I don't like pills. I could drink tea but I just don't feel like making it. I think I'll go back to sleep, or back to bed.

I always say that it's good to use this time, when you can't sleep, productively. It's a good time to read, pay bills, write a blog, operate heavy machinery, practice juggling chainsaws. Maybe skip the last two. But the truth is that although I am tired and cranky and complaining, these quiet hours are a gift. Everyone is asleep, the phone's not ringing, there is nothing urgent to deal with, and all there is is me and my thoughts. It's a productive time if used properly; destructive if not.

Hopefully, you're reading this at a decent hour. If not, go do something productive. Actually, whatever time it is, be productive. It's a sure ticket to happiness.

God bless you. Make it a great day. Sleep tight.

- Adolfo

Day # 205 - Oh Well

I have to work today. My kids are on vacation. Aren't they lucky? I get a kick out of how kids complain about school. I used to do the same thing and now I'd kill to be back in school with no real responsibilities except doing your homework and being cool. For the record, I was no good at either.

Christmas is coming and Santa will bring them presents. We will enjoy and laugh and take pictures and video and then we'll trip over the toys and come November we'll give them away to make room for the new donations of the future.

I am going to Key West this week; not to party, to work. A night away from home. I don't have a problem with it, but the girls will probably be upset. I'll let you know if they're not, in which case, I will be.

I need to clean my garage. What a mess.

But first, I have to move my warehouse. Before that, I should have breakfast. Emily and I played the popcorn game this morning. She came to my room and laid down next to me. We pretend the popcorn ceiling is real popcorn and add butter, salt, cheeseburgers, whipped cream and all kinds of things one would never add to popcorn. Then we "eat" it and pop another batch. It occurred to me that she will always look at popcorn ceilings a little differently because of this game we play some mornings. This makes me smile. Then again, maybe she won't remember this. No matter, I will. Oh well.

Great, now I'm sentimental.

Make it a great day. God bless you. Enjoy your popcorn moments.

- Adolfo

Day # 204 - Bad Dream

I had an incredibly disturbing nightmare last night. I dreamt I was surrounded by people possessed by demons. It may have been congress, who knows? It was enough that when I awoke, I immediately started to pray. It helped quite a bit. I find that when I can't focus on praying, I repeat The Lord's Prayer (Our Father...) and it brings me the same peace.

They say dreams have meanings. I happen to agree with that. I don't believe they tell us the future or any such thing, but I believe they are our subconscious mind's way of venting... or something.

The great thing about bad dreams is the same as what's great about our good dreams: we decide whether they will come true or not. We decide what we will pursue, or attract, and what we will ignore.

Are you pursuing your dreams... or are they pursuing you?

- Adolfo

Day # 203 - Books & Such

My favorite sister asked me to list the books I've read during the last 203 days. There have been a few and while I don't know if I'll miss anything, here goes:

The Bible: This one was written by God. I have the King James and New Living translations. I read them both, though not as often as I should.

Atlas Shrugged: It's the size of a phone book, and it's life changing. I wish I had read this as a teenager. It is by far one of the most important books I've read. It's the kind of book that makes you wonder if the events it describes are happening right now.

Good to Great: I am currently reading this book by Jim Collins. It's about corporations that make the leap to greatness - and ones that don't.

Thinking Big: Donald Trump is brilliant and arrogant and wow, what hair!

The Game of Life: This book was written in the 1920's. A lot of practical advice on positive thinking and such.

Breakthrough Thinking: Denis Waitley on how to innovate.

The Compound Effect: Darren Hardy on how to take little steps that make a big difference.

The Four Agreements: A very simple guide to inner peace and happiness

I have listened to several books on tape, mostly summaries from Success Magazine.

I read Success magazine cover to cover each month and listen to the interviews it brings.

I have revisited some of my old favorites like:

The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

I have taken, "The Course in Mastery."

I watch motivational or instructional videos on YouTube.

I read articles in Fortune (not news, more like analysis), Entrepreneur, Inc. Magazine, Wine Spectator, and a few others.

This is not a comprehensive list. My wife commented to me a couple of days ago that I'm the only person she knows who is not into anything. I don't golf or play tennis, I'm not into cars or model airplanes. I just read. You should too, so you can be just like me! (Barnes & Noble will probably sue me for what I just did to their sales with that remark.)

Make it your best day yet. God bless you.

Day # 202 - What Next?

I committed to a year of this because it had a nice sound to it. "A Year Without News" sounded better than a "couple of weeks," "six months," or "until further notice" without news. Just over halfway through my year, I can say I have improved in many ways. I have learned patience and positivity. I have become more organized, I have clearer goals. I am obviously committed (or should be... to an institution.) I think I am a better father than I was 202 days ago. I think I am a better husband, too. My family disagree, but you can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself. Rick Nelson was right about that, but I'm only kidding. My family is my number one priority. Always will be.

So, now that the positive thinking has started paying off; now that God and faith have seen me through the valley... what do I do with the next 163 days? What do I write about? What's my purpose in this thing? Do I continue writing about the lessons of each day? Book reports? My job is not fun to describe and if I did, it would only take about a paragraph. So... what else is there? I really don't know, and that's the beauty of this experiment. I've changed, but I am not done, not by a long shot. I am nowhere near being the person I am meant to be, the best person I can be.

I can still improve my attitude; I can improve myself physically; I can improve in my career, you know, climbing the old corporate ladder, I can grow spiritually. I guess the beauty of not knowing what's next is that I get to decide what it will be. I realize there are some things that are out of my control and I accept that. But the things I can control, I will control, and I will make them better in every way I can.

And that, my friends, is what's next.

God bless you. Make it your best day yet.

- Adolfo