The longer the distance

About three years ago, I ran in a four mile race. I hadn't run in a while and I was not prepared for it at all. In a word....it was not fun. Ok, that was more than a word. After about a half of a mile, I wanted to stop. It didn't get any better from there and the whole thing was not a great experience. I didn't stop and I pushed through it and finished. About 6 months ago, I ran in a half marathon. I trained for about three months and slept 9 hours the night before. It was more than three times the distance and it was a breeze.... It was actually fun. So, it's not the longer the distace the harder it is. It's, the longer the distance the harder you train. This taught me to shoot for big goals and to be willing to put in the work in the begiining to make it a breeze in the end.

Boris, it's so lovely to meet you

So, I'm sitting in a park in between meetings and this man with a long gray beard and a thick Russian accent walking by, stops in front of me, looks me in the eye, put out his hand and says "it's so lovely to meet you, what is your name young man?". I told him my name and he sat down next to me on the bench, leaned into me and proceeded to ask me a series of personal questions and I proceeded to answer them without any hesitation. After about 10 minutes, he stood up, looked me in the eye, shook my hand and said "Stephen, it's so lovely to meet you" and he walked away. He wanted nothing from me and yet I probably would have done just about anything for him. It's really just so simple isn't it? Thank you Boris. It was so lovely to meet you.

Happy because we sing

I once heard a quote that said "We do not sing because we are happy, we are happy because we sing". This kinda bashes the whole "I'm not in the mood" or "I don't feel like it" defence. I love this because it really puts me in my place when I get on a mood or am feeling down because it says so simply that it's my choice. I have actually tried this. Try singing when you are sad and see how long you stay sad. Of course, in my case if I start singing people are me may start feeling sad. I know now that I can't wait for something to make me happy, I make me happy.

Laughter is medicine

I watch this video that I saw on facebook. It was a 30 second insurance company commercial with two kids talking about healthy eating. At the time that I watched the video, I was not in the best of moods. I watched this video and I laughed so hard and felt such a feeling of happiness that my mood shifted immediately. I proceeded to overdose on the video and watched it about 10 times. My whole attitude about the day turned around and whenever something dis come up I thought of these kids and couldn't help but laugh. There really is nothing like a good dose of laughter to turn around any day.

"routines"

I think it is so important to have something that you do every day to get centered and to work towards a particular goal. I used to call these routines. A friend once suggested, stressing the importance of the language we use to call them daily practices. A routine suggests something that we have to do, the same old thing every day. A practice is something that we do to improve and it moves us forward. Some people might think this is silly, but once I changed what I called it, I really started viewing it in a different way and started having fun with it. Of course I learned that I also have to practice my practicing and that practice doesn't always make perfect....it does make improvement.

Starbucks

When people ask me where I work, I could say Starbucks and be telling the truth. When I'm going to meet with someone, most of the time I find a Starbucks in the area to meet at. If I'm running around the city and I need a bathroom.... Starbucks. If I need to find a place to make some phone calls or get some work done....Starbucks. I'm am writing this blog right now in.... You guessed it....Starbucks. I hear people say that Starbucks is a money waster because it's over priced and a gimmick that people fall into and spend money they don't need to be spending. Well, I forgot to mention the beat part....you actually don't even have to buy anything when you come here:) One man's money waster is another man's money maker.