Archives: Newsletters

Life throws obstacles in my way all the time. I am coming to the conclusion that my best plan of action is to be as resilient as possible. To be as capable as possible to bounce back from crisis.

Richard Branson anticipated his 1.5-hour flight to space for 17 years. He announced his intention to make a space plane in 2004. Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000 with the goal of human spaceflight.

At Toastmasters we open our meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. I also have it hanging in our lobby. I need the reminder. I do take my freedom for granted. I feel safe and every day I exercise my rights and obligations as a citizen. However, I feel that the news we are exposed to make extreme efforts to divide us, to point out the lack of liberty and the lack of justice.

Recently I sat in a meeting with a family who had lost the founder of their fast growing family business. During the meeting I was focused on business. After the meeting the sadness hit me. The founder should have been in that meeting. The energy, the drive and the laughter were missing. He lived his life to the fullest.

Lately I have been feeling tired and lacking excitement in my life. I am tired of being confined by a mask, by cold weather and by work. I am tired of the constant news of sickness and death. Then I recall a remark I overheard that offered me a bit of hope.

Time moves quickly when I’m having fun. It also seems to drag on when I am bored or in pain. It is easy to get into a routine and forget why I had that routine and where I am going. As tax season comes to a close, my life shifts.

Recently I attended my son’s wedding. James and his fiancé, Stephanie, invited family and friends. It was very beautiful. During that evening I met many of his friends. Friends who are very successful in types of business that weren’t around when I started my career.

I am tired of all the fear in society today. Halloween is supposed to be scary. Usually it’s ghosts, goblins and someone chasing someone with a chainsaw. This year we have Covid 19 and the Presidential election. I want to erase the scary and find the magic for this Halloween season.

Now that 2020 is over I want to reorganize my life. Tax season is just around the corner and I need to prepare to handle the tsunami that is coming. My inner organizer has kicked in. Since the year started with a long weekend at home, it started at home. I packed away the Christmas decorations. I sorted and got rid of stuff that I haven’t used in years. I already reorganized my clothes closet and dresser. I keep in mind Marie Kondo’s motto “keep what I love and get rid of the rest”.

My strongest and most precious holiday tradition is putting up the Christmas tree. Ever since I put up my very first tree, forty years ago, I take a personal journey when I decorate my tree. I have always decorated the tree all by myself. I have the same process.