Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
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On July 1 at 11:20 p.m. from this earth departed one of the most genuine people I knew.
Richard Bedford, to wish you were still here with us would be selfish, for I know you are now in a much better place, continuing the job you started here and did so well. It has been an honor and a pleasure to know somebody of your integrity and demeanor. Your life was one of servitude, positively impacting all of those who came within your presence. You always found the time to provide guidance, wisdom, and encouragement, selflessly leading us to brighter and better paths. Although your time on this earth has ended and this chapter has closed, your legacy will continue to live. Thank you for being you. You may be gone. But you’ll never be forgotten.
Last night I was sitting at the bar in my kitchen enjoying a glass of wine, a couple pieces of brie, and crackers while writing some website plans. When I finished the plans, I closed the laptop and walked out to the balcony to take a break, at 10:30 p.m. I still had some things I wanted to get done, but I had been working since 7:00 a.m. When I stepped out I looked up and realized that, for the first time in months, I was looking at stars. Looking at these stars, I remembered just how insignificant so many things are in this world. It’s the same feeling I get when I look down on the landscape from an airplane.
I hadn’t taken the time to look up at a night sky for several months. I’m so used to squeezing productivity out of every moment I can. I don’t watch television because I feel like I could be doing something else. I struggle to sit through a new movie. I have three books by the bed, one in the kitchen, two in the car, and one at my desk at work so I can always have something to read whenever there’s a spare moment. In my desire to get so much done is so little time, I neglected to enjoy some of the simplest things in life. I love what I do, and I enjoy reading, writing, and connecting with others, but sometimes there’s a need to just…simply…relax.
I once had a classmate stop me on the final day of school before we graduated. She said she wanted to thank me for making her always feel so special. I thought about it for a moment and couldn’t think of anything I did, so I asked how. She told me that I was the only person who said hi to her everyday and addressed her by her name. It’s funny how little things make large impacts in the lives you touch. These impacts can be either positive or negative. I hope that I’m making more positive impacts than negative ones. Think about all of the little interactions we have. Which impacts ones are you making?