Resilience.  It’s easier said than done.

Mistakes happen all the time.  Sometimes we make them; other times we’re affected by those mistakes made by others. When we make the error ourselves, particularly if it’s mistake that could have easily avoided, it hurts, it stings, it makes us take pause.

Especially when the set-back or challenge otherwise is unexpected.  That can be super frustrating.  It can take the wind out of our sails.   If it’s severe enough, there might be some actual pain.

And so when that happens, what options do we have to respond?

You could roll over, run away, and give up. But that approach isn’t sustainable; and you’d never get anything of note accomplished if you just walk away every time you lose, you make a mistake, you suffer some delay or obstacle in your way.

Point of fact, that’s the exact time to FEEL it, and then TRANSCEND it. Or rather, that’s the time to take from the experience the lesson and the energy to learn and find the next dose of motivation to move forward.

Earlier this week I discovered a mistake I’d made at work;  the error actually occurred a couple of months ago.  I wasn’t able to piece together exactly WHY I made the mistake, but I did.  It wasn’t catastrophic, and could be remedied by others, thankfully.  However, it was certainly the type of error that, if repeated often, would fundamentally damage data integrity around business decisions that are made. NOT GOOD.

But the lesson itself?  It was GOOD.  Good for me to be reminded how detailed and exact and methodical we need to be in our work, everyday.  Good reminder that focus and review and repeated processes are the best way to minimize errors.  Good lesson in how to be a better business person, a better worker, a better doer. Every time.

I’ve heard it said more than once with respect to carpentry:  when you’re cutting board to building something, “measure twice, cut once.”  That’s a good maxim for most any task.  It’s a good idea to quickly check your work, give one more review, be SURE you’ve done it right.  No substitute for that.

What’s more?  It is in the learning and the mistakes and the pain that we get better.  So let’s do that.  Let’s get better.  Everyday.  No pain, no gain.  But what’s also true?

“Know Pain, Know Gain.”

It’s been quite a ride with my son thus far in his six years on this earth.  When he was born I was naturally super-stoked to have a boy, and it’s been joy, a delight, a massive set of lessons, and a blessing everyday.  Well, almost every day.  : – )

Helping him along in life thus far mean my looking back at how my own childhood was, recalling more accurately now the challenges I faced when I was little.

My deepest hope for my boy is that he be the best unique human he can be.  I want this for my daughters too, of course.  But as I see our son have some of the same struggles I did, I relate and want to help him have an easier time.

I don’t do a great job of having an optimal impact every day.  But I’m more mindful in the effort.  I’m more consistent (?) in my messages to him.  And I want to lift him up everyday, so eventually he can lift himself up:  to face the challenges that come along, to embrace the learning we do as we grow up, to seek to be better, to seek the joy every day. And then eventually, to share it.

Come to think of it, he already does, in some ways.

Don’t make fun of others, that’s a basic life lesson.

“Four Eyes!” is a childish way of Making fun of someone who wears eyeglasses. Granted too that it’s mostly used by kids, or was back in the day…but the point is the same.

Be nice to others. Treat them as you’d like to be treated. Don’t put someone down in effort to elevate yourself. That is NEVER ok.

My brother wore glasses from age 2.  I never really saw the point in making fun of people who wear them.  Never did.

When I was in my late twenties, I got my first pair, for seeing distance.

I’ve sense gotten reading glasses too.  A couple years back I embraced the wisdom of progressive lenses.

I know a lot of people that wear contact lenses; I tried those for a while.  Not a big fan.

I know some folks who have gotten surgery to correct their vision.  Not my thing either.

Half-way through my life, I’ve got no problem wearing eyeglasses.  I don’t do a very good job of keeping them clean.  I do the best I can to remember, but the smudges always seem to build up a bit.

My approach to wearing eyeglasses is like a lot of things in my life I can’t control.  I accept the situation, and make the best of it.   And every couple three years I get a new pair with new frames, a bit of a refreshed look.

It’s time to get a new pair again.  It’s been three years. I’m pretty excited.

So there you have it. Excited instead of self-conscious. Stoked instead of embarrassed. And for sure, trying every day to be nice to others. Regardless of what they look like.

What’s it going to be today?  GOOD.   That’s my default.

It might not play out that way, but that’s the way I’m gonna receive it.

The weekend though? It was legit GOOD. It was busy for sure, but for all the right reasons.

Soccer started up again for two of our three kids; and my wife is coaching the team; so plenty of ramp up there. Practice on Friday; our first game was the next day.

The weather was hot, which added a little further, challenging dynamic. Thankfully our game was in the morning.

Soccer went fine overall, a success for a bunch of under-6 kids who don’t know each other, or their coach, or the other parents. They did well.

Then it was off to a long-planned theater show in the afternoon. Our three kids, first time to see a live show on stage. It was Wicked. Literally. 🙂 They did really well at that event too, overall.

Then on Sunday, it was out to the Central Valley for a family birthday. Super fun for our three kids to see their two cousins, grandparents, and uncles and aunties.

So yea, busy for sure. But that’s just living; that’s just life. The usual chores and week-to-week work at home that usually gets done during the weekend? Fit in what we can, fill-in where we had a bit of time.

Make it good along the way. Make it GOOD.

 

It’s that time of year again.

Back to the pitch.

Two of our three kids are playing this season.

So thankful my wife played the game and is willing to coach. She’s a natural. She’s a teacher already; this gives another outlet for her skills, insights, and energy.

It’s also a welcome comfort, I think, for our kids to have Mom out there with them.

Funny, beautiful thing for me.

Beautiful that we’re all out there as a family; our 8 year old is going to help wrangle the players and demonstrate a little; I’m the logistics guy.

Looking forward to a good season, and supporting the team and our kids in every way I can. Meeting some new people in our community will be good as well.

And all along the way? Having fun as a family, having fun on the pitch!

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” This phrase comes from a novel by American writer Ray Bradbury, who first published the work in 1962.

I read it 19 years later, when it was assigned reading in my 9th Grade Literature class. It had a big influence on my perspectives as a creative work, and furthered my early interest in writing as well. Though I’m not a big fan of fantasy / horror stories overall, this particular story had the right blend of both, and in sufficient measure, to stick with me long
after I’d finished reading it.

It was AWESOME.

I read a post that it would have been Ray Bradbury’s 99th birthday yesterday.

In honor of his memory, I wanted to give a quick shout out to this great creative voice, one of the writing influencers in my life. I don’t think about it too often these days, but he is certainly one that helped light a spark in me to write and be creative, a fire that still burns on inside today.

Seeing the post yesterday included the artwork I’ve included here and linked to another Bradbury novel – The Halloween Tree — more reading to do now. Joy!

Finally, as I was reading about Bradbury after seeing the original post, I’m inspired to do more of what he did: write everyday. That’s what I’ve tried to do off and on — currently on — throughout the years. Striving to create and especially to share inspiration.

Bradbury reminds me that it’s a good idea to just create without sharing too…that not everything needs to be shared straight away; it’s a good reminder that it’s the creating itself that is the magic, the therapy, the goal.

So here’s to Ray Bradbury, Happy 99th ~

if you want to read more about him, there’s a whole lot to learn, a great writer, a great man.  Read more here.

More on “Something Wicked…” found here.

Illustrations above by Joseph Mugnaini from The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury (1972)

 

 

 

 

My son got a toy mouse last weekend. Really to be more specific, it was a cat toy that looked like a mouse.

Not long after he got it — maybe fifteen minutes — he tied to take the tag off the toy; the tag was attached to the little ear; the little ear pulled out when he pulled on the tag.

“Sigh”, I thought. “Hope I can fix it”, I thought further. And when We got home, after a while, after taking care of some other things, I sat down to fix the little ear on the little toy mouse. Miraculously, I was able to nudge it back in, tucked in securely, almost good as new. Good enough for my son anyway, it turned out.

The lessons? Simple as they often are, they still resonate for me in my life stuffed with big things and little things to do and fix.

Something not to your likely?  Give it your best effort to change it.  Need to fix something?  Try to figure it out.  You might surprise yourself.  Want to try something new?  TRY SOMETHING NEW.  Just Do It, as the Nike campaign promoted all those years ago.

Go Forward. Make adjustments and corrections, do the next thing, keep learning, keep going forward, help others, GOOD.