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Letting Go

January 3, 2012 in Character, Effectiveness, Planning, Self Discovery, visualization with 3 Comments

Facebook dialogue about letting goI posted a status update on Facebook yesterday. I suppose it was part of a New Year’s renewal to state that I was,”Letting Go.” You might guess that this evoked some response. I’m grateful to loving friends and family that thought to reach me. I was encouraged by the messages I received.  Some wondered what it was I was letting go of…others were concerned. I considered the context, and, there really wasn’t one. A few friends said, “It’s about time,” or “Of what?” I had a quick education on the obscure post in need of clarification.

I am letting go of stress, worry and the past. I am also letting go of the need to react or be affected by others, especially if they are not focused on the present or the future. Did you ever get a dirty look from across the room? Did you feel compelled to say “What’s wrong?” or “What did I do?” Well, my choice is to no longer address an issue until there is one. When confronted with an issue or an objective then address it. When brushed by passive-aggressive (or even aggressive) dissatisfaction or anger, don’t call attention to it! Let it go! Maybe it’s about you, maybe it’s not. Don’t invite the confrontation – it’s not likely to be a healthy one.

Especially in today’s fast paced, mobile, social, inter-webbed world it’s also best to assume that someone’s post or comment isn’t about you and isn’t personal.  If it is, let them choose to say so. Otherwise, don’t sweat it.

Let it go I am letting go of frustration with myself and my life, letting go of anger and bitterness in an effort to focus on what matters most. My commitment is to choose joy and have a wonderful productive year. I hope you do the same and I’d be grateful for your thoughts!

Thank you to Lori Deschene, Author of Tiny Buddha, Simple Wisdom for Life’s Hard Questions and founder of the Tiny Buddha website.  Her “40 WAYS TO LET GO AND FEEL LESS PAIN,” post in particular encouraged me to make this my mantra for the new year.

Don’t Wait to Thank Your Mentors and Heroes

December 5, 2011 in Character, gratitude, leadership, Motivation, Passion, Self Discovery with 0 Comments

Steve Jobs Artwork by David Datuna, Mironova Gallery

Like many, Steve Jobs had an influence on my life.  He taught me a lesson recently.  It was in his passing that I learned not to wait to seek out my heroes.  Steve Jobs did not live that far from me but we didn’t know each other.  He was a distant mentor on a pedestal of brilliance and accomplishment that most of us feel is out of reach. Perhaps you have a hero or someone you feel this way about? Perhaps, like me, there are those that are gone now and you wish that you had expressed how you felt about them. Continue Reading…

Protect Your Dream

August 1, 2010 in Character, Dreams, Effectiveness, leadership, Self Discovery, Self-Discipline, Values with 2 Comments

Funny that a friend, one that doesn’t know me so well, thought to post this short video clip on my Facebook wall.  Awesome scene.  Even better message.

“The Pursuit of Happyness” is one of my favorite films. Will Smith is a REAL actor and Gabriele Muccino is a wonderful Director – they did “Seven Pounds” together too.

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Life Changing Moment

June 16, 2009 in Character, Self Discovery with 1 Comment

this is cool…

Keith Ferrazzi launch of “Who’s Got Your Back” at Arianna Huffington’s home

May 26, 2009 in Books, Character, Love, Relationships, Self Discovery, Self-Discipline with 0 Comments

We’re proud to be associated with such a powerful message.  Who’s got your back is not just some new flavor of the month self-help book.  Our connectedness to others that are not just telling us what we want to hear, but instead telling us what we need to hear has been lacking.  This is the beginning of an amazing change for those willing to embrace what it means to have true lifelines and to be a lifeline to others.

Love. Enlightenment. Plenty.

February 24, 2009 in Character, Harmony, Self Discovery with 1 Comment


OneGroup – C, originally uploaded by vaXzine.

I like this post…especially the uploaded handwriting to http://www.flikr.com. Nice thoughts.

Disappearing Act

July 11, 2008 in Self Discovery with 0 Comments

My son Cole just had his first birthday. It is also the one year Anniversary of my foray into being a corporate-lackey-non-involved-hermit. My network withering and community involvement at zero, I begin reconnecting with clear perspective and focus. Liz_hannah_and_cole_0508_small

A year of learning the wireless industry from within the trenches of telesales at Verizon Wireless proved wise. As a research opportunity for me, not having worked at a firm of over 100 people for 15 years, it’s been an enlightening experience. I can debrief elsewhere as it applies to my appetite for metrics, measurement, procedure etc. For now, from the perspective on humanity, it’s
incredible what people endure to provide a living and good benefits for their families. AND, it’s even more incredible how much time they spend away from their families in order to do so. Wireless telecom does have its appeal though, and a future that’s fun to predict.

I’ve made some good friends at Verizon, but based on my schedule and new family priorities, I’ve neglected many. And, I look forward to the coming summer of returning to connecting and communicating in the way I’ve always enjoyed. It’s a part of me that I miss. And I miss so many people. I miss stunt-kite flying too so don’t get
emotional.

My daughter, Hannah, has her 4th birthday party tomorrow. Liz and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. My son will make you laugh harder than a silly string war at a clown convention. No complaints.

Self Discipline

March 20, 2007 in Character, Effectiveness, Focus, leadership, Self Discovery, Self-Discipline with 2 Comments

Jack_pidgeon_kiskiLong time good friend Joe Garcia sent me quite a character reminder today.  He forwarded a copy of headmaster Jack Pidgeon’s commencement address to our class at The Kiski031030kiskith_2
School.  I read it right away – I hadn’t heard it for more than twenty years.  The message resonated as vividly as the authoritative New England intonation and cadence I could hear delivering it.

Wonderfully written, it’s chock full of Mr. Pidgeon’s own warm memories that brought me momentarily back to boyhood.   In the speech he says, "The longer I live the more I believe that the essential factor which places some men above others is their superior capacity for self-discipline." Jack also reminds us to, "never, never, never, never, never quit." He goes on to remind us of how we are all capable:

"You don’t have to have been born with talent or brains or special abilities or a capacity for leadership.  You don’t even have to have been born tough.  The happiest fact of life is that the one ingredient we need the most is ours for the taking.  All you have to do to acquire it is this: beginning today, stop doing something you shouldn’t do and start doing each day something you know you should do."

Thanks Joe.  It was especially generous to send this out.  Reading "On Self-Discipline" was a heartwarming connection to the roots of my commitment to a life of character and principles. 

You can download "On Self-Discipline" by Jack Pidgeon here.

Character Decision Making

February 6, 2007 in Character, Effectiveness, Principles, Self Discovery with 0 Comments

I talk to lots of folks about character – how they include it and what in means in their life.  Mostly, people seem to use it as a basis for making decisions.  A road map.  I find it’s a directive to simply listen to your inner voice.  We’ve all had that voice tell us something and we then decide to either listen or ignore. 

Marmins_light_bulbLife’s resisting forces can be done away with when we pay attention to ourselves.  When you quiet your mind and really pay attention – you can deal with everything from confused priorities to your decision to order the salad or the french-fries.

Listening to what is true in our hearts and minds provides us with Vision, Purpose, Harmony and Concentration.  Pay attention to good advice, especially when it comes from within.

Self-pity

January 7, 2007 in Character, Self Discovery, Self-Discipline with 0 Comments

More wisdom from the rebe at www.chabad.org

Self-pity is nothing less than an impulse to destroy yourself. And this is its script:

“This is the way you were made. These are the facts of your situation. It’s bad. Worse than anybody else in the whole world. In fact, it’s so bad, it’s impossible to do anything about it. And therefore, you are free from any responsibility to clean it up. Nobody can blame you for anything.”

Self-pity is a thief, and a liar. A thief, because it steals away every opportunity you have to move on in life. A liar, because anyone who says he tried to clean up his mess but couldn’t succeed is telling an outright lie.
- the comic credit goes to the very funny Dan Wheeler.

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