Tired and..

Stand Up

Don’t STOP

The most common thing that people say to me is they are tired. They are tired of politics, work stuff, AI, other people, family issues etc.

I get tired too.

People motivate me and ideas motivate me. I’ll share a few ideas that may be useful to you. If it helps or you have ideas to share, please let me know.

Here we go..

All is fair with fair weather.. I have many people in my life that come in and out from time to time. Something can remind them or me that we exist and if the moment is right, we reach out. Some folks will say “I haven’t heard from you…..” My answer has evolved over time but it is always the same fundamentally. I am here and if you want or need to talk, I’m here for you. As I believe I am heading into the fall season of life, I like to be cool and chill. I’m here to help and I have my own things to do, so “I love you and” I am comfortable saying that I am here.

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If you are toxic, you are gone. If I sense you are draining me or causing me any angst, you are out.

Turn on the music, turn off the news. For the things I can do, I’ll take responsibility for my words, my actions and my deeds. For the things I have no control, I’ll let the mountain deal with the wind and the wind navigate the mountain.

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Burn the world or Be the light on my last day.

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Gil Gerard’s message to the world as he knew he was dying “Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love. See you out somewhere in the cosmos.”

We know people in the world that would push the red button and eliminate everyone on the planet as their last act. They’d place their name on the foreheads of everyone right before the end.

What if today was your last day? Would you choose to be a light? Would you choose to burn the place down?

I choose to live everyday with at some point recognizing that it could very well be my last day. As it is possible, I ask myself what I want to do. What do you want to do?

Me, Myself and ..

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AM I the victim or victor? I ask as reach for my cup of coffee and listen to the slow indie sounds of a Sunday morning. I choose to be a victor as much as I can. I find myself a victim through multiple narratives in life and society. If allowed, the victim may win. Some days, it does but most days, I overtake it with help from people in my life. The method, pick up the phone. Ask out loud for something inspirational to take hold. Help a friend. I can’t be a victim if I am of service to others. The firefighter in me has no room for ambiguity while fighting a fire dragon.

Be a leader to a leader There would be no inspiration for leaders, if they had nothing to tap into to inspire them. As they climb the ranks or get thrown into a situation, they look for help. They don’t generally ask for it because they may believe it would make them look weak and not like a leader. I seek to wedge myself into that space between them looking and their potential inability to ask. If I can do that for them, I am serving them and people well beyond them. This goes back to being available and staying connected with people, along with them knowing they can call me. If they want they can call, if they don’t, no pressure on them.

Inhale, inhale, exhale

Quick breath in twice, and exhale. Do this a few times…

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I read to understand not just to read. Recently, I read a book that was essentially advice for people. In it, one the things it said was that you don’t need to finish a book that you start. Not long after, one of the more popular leadership voices had a quote about there about not finishing a book. Same thing, you don’t need to finish the book. I disagree. Finish the book. Finish what you start. Don’t leave things undone. The reason it is a whole thing is because it is a whole thing. While you may be able to get one small thing from it, the value is in the context of the whole body of work. Far too often today, we think and believe we got enough and what we need from a small interaction. We miss out far too often from our impatience and abandonment.

I go to the game early, and stay for the whole thing. Oh this is timely. Last night, I went with my son to a basketball game. The end was near and the people were pouring out of the arena because it looked like it was over. My son looked at me and said, “there is a 1 and 23 seconds left on the clock and that is enough time for the team to score and win.” The man sitting next to us was a season ticket holder, he chose to stay because we refused to leave. He was disappointed with the team and said they lose more than they win but he keeps showing up. We kept him, he had an hour drive anyways, what is a few more minutes? You know what???? They won with a less than a few seconds on the clock. Stay in the mix, sometimes, I think I know something that I just don’t know. I now force myself to stay and see it all the way through. In sports and beyond..

I probably could write all day about this but I’ll leave a few other thoughts and move on..

Some people just want things. They want to take, they want recognition, they are jealous for whatever reason. They believe THEY did something. There are very few people in our world today that can and do everything with themselves for themselves without the help of others. In some way most of us are connected. The fact that we struggle with this is a bit perplexing.

If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be writing. If it weren’t for you, I would be less motivated. I need you and I hope that I am needed. It is not co-dependance but a recognition of interdependence. A seed needs soil, it needs water and light. It need air and carbon dioxide and chemical reactions to become itself. It is meant for something of beauty. It is meant to sustain life, give life, in some cases take life. It cannot grow without the conditions and the shared relationships in balance that allow it to become what it is meant to be.

We are all seedlings that grow into something. The difference with us is that at least in part we can participate in our growth and our outcomes.

We are also butterflies, we don’t know what impact we have on the world and others. When I am given the gift of learning that I was in some way helpful to someone else, it charges my batteries and motivates me to get up … and move from being tired to tireless..

Thank you to my family, my friends, my wife, my children… and thank you .. to you..