As I have posted several times, we don't have to look too hard to find bad news. I'm sorry to say it but much of the news media exists on their ability to bring to us the most shocking, negative and heartbreaking stories they can find. People's reputations and privacy go out the window if there is a story that can be told. I continue to try very hard to stay up in a very down world. It's not always easy but it's always rewarding and a lot more fun.
Monday this week I did something I love to do but rarely find time for at this stage of my life. I took most of the day off and played golf. It was a perfect day for at least 5 reasons I can think of:
1) I love to play golf
2) I was able to play golf and support a very worthwhile charity
3) It was a spectacular 65 and sunny day in Dallas - with no wind
4) I got to spend time with my dad outside of work
5) I actually played pretty darn well for a guy who only plays 4-5 times a year!
Sure, I could have made an excuse why I couldn't go and I could have stayed at work with my "nose to the grindstone" but look at that list. Look at all the good I was able to do with an investment of one day and a few bucks to help benefit others. That's pretty great, huh?
It took some planning, it took an investment of time and money, it took some sacrifices but guess what? It was worth 100 times more than what it cost - check that, 10,000 times! I am a better person because of it and I hope that everyone I come in contact with notices the difference in me too and not just because of my sunburned forehead. Are you like me where sometimes you plan or sign up to do something and when the time comes you are thinking to yourself "why did I do that? I have at least 100 other things that are more important." Then out of duty or necessity you do it anyway and you end up being so grateful that you made yourself do something different? I love that.
What a great lesson to (re)learn and to use to remind myself that sometimes it's okay to veer off from my daily routine and throw responsibilities to the side in order to do something just for me! Don't get me wrong, the end result is not that I am a self-indulgent buffoon who thinks the world revolves around me. To the contrary, the result is I am a better boss, co-worker, husband and father. It's a self-reinforcing loop. The better I feel about myself, the better I feel about my roles in my life. The better I feel in my roles the more effective and efficient I am at performing them. And so on....
So I would challenge you this week to think about what you need to do to create some time to invest in yourself? What hobby, activity or appointment do you need to make to put yourself back on track and make you a better person - a person that gets attention from others for the right reasons? Maybe you just need an hour of idle time to reflect and recharge. Or maybe you need to make some wide-sweeping changes that require a significant investment of time and money.
Whatever is needed get started now. You can think of 100 reasons why you can't but there is at least one incredible reason why you must. Because everyone is counting on you. There's some good news for you to take with you as you go about your business.
