READING IS FUNDAMENTAL

The ability to read is an ever changing life skill.  As a young child, the elementary school I  attended - Reisterstown Elementary- offered a subscription of Highlights to the students.  This magazine started in 1946 and is still available today.  When we received the magazine, there was so much excitement in the classroom.  It was inspiring and offered a variety of topics, stories, puzzles, and word games.  Receiving this subscription made me feel so special.  The excitement grew in the classroom of happy faces as the teacher handed out the magazines.  I enjoyed going to the library - picking out mostly horse books and other children's books.  My favorite was C.W. Anderson's books about Blaze.  A beautiful horse series filled with adventure and friends.  As I matured, I recognized the power of books and magazines.  I read love stories, Nancy Drew mysteries, teenage magazines, the news papers, and Edgar Allan Poe novels until 3 am.  There were times I just could not put his novels down and could not wait until bedtime to read again.

In my forties, I began reading college books for my classes and later began reading self-help, motivational, and inspirational  books.  I attended motivational speaker symposiums to listen to the stories and achievements of well known people like Rudy Giuliani, Zig Zigler, and Colin Powell to name a few.  I have attended small and large author speaking events; my latest was Nicholas Sparks of the movie and book - Notebook.  I read industry related information about real estate, banking, and finance.  I also read novels and aspire to write full time some day.  The pleasure and knowledge derived from reading is one that never grows old.  Reading helps build the foundation of a healthy mind and can take you away from the harsh realties or lack luster day into a world of fantasy or science and history or high crimes and misdemeanors.  Successful people read with regularity.  

I just purchased a 4 book series by Ernest Hemingway.  The experience of reading them today is quite different than having to read them in school. There are several offerings of books; audio, paperback and  hard back or Kindle.  The ease of listening to a topic or story while driving is becoming quite popular.  Even learning a new language has been simplified.  

Whatever your interests, whatever your age - start reading today and transform your life - you will be glad you did.  And if you already are an avid reader, begin your own neighborhood book club.  Build a post with a box on top with sliding plexi-glass doors to stave off the weather or small critters and display multiple books to share and trade. 

 WRITING LISTS

Several years ago, I was in a small group of individuals: three men and myself.  It was formed because one of the men and I had Friday morning coffee and donuts together.  We struggled with a concept: the phone both dictated and interrupted the course of our day.  We both agreed we were out of control every day and did not accomplish what was originally planned.  He suggested we engage a few other local entrepreneurs/business people in the community.  We started meeting for breakfast.  One of the men dropped out.  We met twice a month at 7 AM- no matter the weather.  Our spouses could not appreciate the importance of these meetings.  We certainly did.  You learn a lot about people when you meet twice a month for 7 years.   Our focus and core thread was our desire to make good choices, follow through with customers, build a stronger business following, and learn new ideas.  We also shared many similar traits. We shared business practices, challenges, selected books to read and review, and a few personal characteristics. We were willing to reach out to the community and sometimes work together to bring the community together for meetings and special events and fund raisers.  

Our tasks, meetings, and ideas could not have been accomplished without having lists.  One of the men kept a small notepad and pen in his pocket.  He wrote the items he wanted to accomplish each day for his store and crossed them off his list as he completed them.  He made sure he finished his list by the close of business.  The other man created his list on Sunday evening for the work week.  His list included his clients, meetings, calls to be made and he was strict about ending his day at 4:30 pm.  I developed my list on a lined sheet or note pad each day.  I highlighted my accomplishments - they were easy to read at a glance.  I also used an agenda-a weekly planner each year-and kept record of all my appointments and meetings.  I used sticky notes in my home.  I placed them on my bathroom mirror and on my kitchen cabinet so I was exposed to my primary annual target.  My note:  'Why 90?' - very simple.  It meant the minimum magic number for annual sales I strived toward.

Outlook is another method of creating lists.  I usually prefer my written lists.  I have been successful with them and generally practice using the 'sun down' rule of getting everything done by the end of the day.  I struggle with this one due to the nature of my business which can be 24/7.  I will strive for more efficiency and know much of my continued success throughout many years has been the result of my handwritten lists.

 STARTING YOUR DAY

I am sure you have heard that little jingle for coffee; '..the best part of waking up...'.  Well, I am here to say how you start your day when you wake up matters.  Before your eyes fully open, before, you are truly conscious of the weather outside, and before you even get out of bed - it is important to get the blood circulating. Stretch your body while laying down.  Turn your feet side to side, up and down several times.  Stretch your calf muscles. Turn your head side-to-side and tilt it back then toward your chest holding it in place for a few seconds - then turn  it to the left, center, and right and repeat several times.  Arch your back; push your shoulders down.  Stretch out.  Now, you can start your day.  The oxygen in your blood is circulating faster through your brain and body.    

I have two fused discs in my neck, had two rear-end collisions resulting in concussions, and had started to feel so sluggish.  I started this regimen a couple of years ago and I do not experience any tingling when I first step out of bed and my day just seems so much better.  Of course there are other things to do before you shower or get ready for your the rest of your day.  For me, it is a bathroom routine including brushing my teeth and hair. Find a good multi vitamin and drink 10 to 16 ounces of water. I almost have to have coffee and on the weekends use about a teaspoon of Bailey's Irish Cream to celebrate.   Next, I read or write or check out some news and once a month - pay my bills to get it behind me.  If you are inclined to exercise, the morning before food is when you are going to get your body in prime shape for the day AND get your metabolism jump started.  

My brother died in November of 2004.  I had already broken up with a significant partner in March.  I lost a lot of weight and just could not eat in the morning.  I felt nauseous of the smell or thought of breakfast.  Over the years, I ending up gaining the weight back and then some.  I put my body in starvation mode and it hung on desperately to all that excess fat.  It wasn't until April of this year when I entered into a workout challenge at a local gym where I discovered so much more about myself and my body.  I lost about 25 percent body fat and about 9 inches.  I lost only 7 or 8 pounds but, built a whole lot of muscle.  My core was stronger; my mind felt more alert, and I discovered the importance of eating breakfast to stop to fat storage issue.  My trainers taught me diet  was 80% of my overweight problem.  

Start your day off right.  Develop a routine which works for you.  Be consistent with your sleep, increase your water intake, and discover both the physical and mental benefits.  

Where Did Your Passion Go?

When I was a young girl, I was very passionate about my girlfriends and spending time with them meant everything to me.  Getting punished for not doing my chores was bad enough but, when my mother added not being able to have them over to my house or vice versus I felt much worse.  My heart ached to be with my friends and ride bikes or roller skate together or just having girl time together watching I Love Lucy.  In later years, my interests turned toward boys and my girlfriends became a close second.  I  was so passionate about both and remain close to those girlfriends today.  The boyfriends drifted away from my life.  After several more 'passionate' relationships, I eventually found myself as a single mom with three children-all by the same father...just for clarity.  I suddenly found out my children did not feel like our rental home was 'home'.  One summer, each of them  individually of one another, expressed these feelings to me.  Actually, I had planned to move to a southern state once they had gotten out of high school. But, I ended up buying a house for them nearby so they could remain in their school through graduation and be with their friends.  It was a modest house with three bedrooms, a basement large enough for my eldest daughter, one and a half bathrooms and a yard big enough for us to have bon fires.  The latter was extremely important to all of us.   Through the years, we spent many nights sitting around bon fires and connecting with family, friends, and neighbors.  I didn't care what the house looked like.  After looking at a half dozen houses on the market, I made a decision.  I was too busy working 10 to 14 hour days to much care; as long as the house met those very basic criteria.  But, when I went to pick out furniture - my old low-lying dark green sofa for the living room and mattress and boxspring on the bedroom floor - just wouldn't work for me anymore.  I realized I had lost my passion.  The rental walls were a flat white paint-I never painted them, the carpet was a nubby berber oatmeal color-neutral, and I had beige sheers at the windows.  My clothes were all shades of brown, black or grey.  As I searched for furniture for our new home, I realized most of the furniture in the show rooms was brown or some monochromatic shade thereof.  I wanted a red sofa.  I needed passion in my home.   I had been living without passion for far too long.  I was passionate about my children and passionate about my work but, when it came to my home I was  not.  Home is where the heart is.  Home is the reflection of your life, your soul, and a visible expression of what you love and care about.  Not only did I find a beautiful burgundy red sofa but, an oversized chair, and chaise lounge too.  All very unique pieces of furniture and the fabric wore like iron.  And, I took my passion to the bedroom and bought a queen sized sleigh bed.   Life took a turn for not only the better but, seemed to have more meaning and I felt a huge sense of accomplishment.  I began saving more and investing more.  For whatever reason, and there were many events over the years causing me to change from the person I once was, I finally found it - I got my passion back.