What About 2008?

Well, today is the last day of 2008! Funny, I heard two people say earlier this week that they can't wait for this year to end and that 2009 has got to be better - hope that works for them. Personally, I think 2009 will be a good year. Before we watch the ball drop, its always good to appreciate what we have done and what we have been through.

Here's my simple list of things to think about today before the leap second is added and we step into 2009:

1. Appreciate the good things that happened in 2008 - no matter how bad a year someone has, there are good things that happen. Take time to remember those good things. For me, I got promoted, my income rose, my riding abilities improved, my running has improved, I didn't gain weight, I have a place to live, food to eat, a cat that I occassionally like, a brain, eyes, ears, legs that all function, I am healthy, I have friends, and the list could go on.

2. Recognize the opportunities that came out of the challenges in 2008 - on the flip side, no matter how good 2008 was, there were challenges. Challenges are good to look at from several different sides. First, how did you get there and how can you not do that again. Second, how did you respond and could you have responded better. Third, did that challenge point you on a different path and were you willing to take it? Fourth, sometimes challenges happen, deal with them the best you can, and keep moving forward. My 2008 challenges: falling off the horse several times, navigating through friendships, leading a group that is not required by law to do what I tell them, struggling at times to build a business, getting to know who I am (the good and the not so good), taking complete control of my destiny, and again, the list could go on.

3. Keep doing, in 2009 the things from 2008 that made you smile - Number 3 and 4 sound really simple, but in practice are not done enough. Keep doing the things that bring you joy, happiness, and a smile (as long as they are not continually destructive habits). This is a conscious decision. Things I will keep doing: riding, running, building my business, talking to new people, reconnecting with my friends, traveling, name a few.

4. Stop doing, in 2009, the things from 2008 that made you unhappy - Possibly more important than Number 3, stop doing what makes you unhappy. Sometimes, it just becomes a habit that we don't take the time to break. And, sometimes, we don't see the way out. Whatever the situation, take small steps to decrease the unhappiness in your life. What I plan to stop doing: ruminating over things I have no control over, saying yes to things I know I don't want to do, PMS (not sure how to stop doing that, though), going along with others because I am too lazy to make my own decision, and, ................

5. Make sure that your thinking is a reflection of you and not what others (or society) says it should be - The media and society bombards us everyday with words and images on how we should think and live. Not to mention, our friends and families have their own views. Don't get lost in all of this. Make your decisions based on your inner compass.

Congratulations on making it through 2008!

My Favorite Music Experiences of 2008

A recap of some of my favorite music experiences over the past year!

1. Bedhead Betty - This has been a great year for these guys and I wish them an even better 2009. The maturation process has been incredible. Good sound, good music, good experience. My favorite song they cover: Disco Inferno! If you haven't seen them, they are a must in 2009.

2. Pandora.com - Pandora is a site that allows you to type in a particular song then it plays songs it thinks you will like based on that choice. Definitely a fun experience and can introduce you to music you haven't heard before. Good choice for listening to while you work (for those who are not oppressed by "the man")

3. iTunes/iPod - no possible way that I can run these days with out my iPod shuffle and the music I download from iTunes. Technology never ceases to amaze me. If you haven't moved to an mp3 player, its time. I haven't purchased a CD in a year and have found songs that I had forgotten all about. Best find: "I Am What I Am" - that will take you back a few years.

4. iTunes/radio/international - Absolutely incredible that I can listen to radio stations in Hunary, Iran, France, Tamil, Sweden, etc. You can find just about anything you are looking for and its great to hear other languages. Definitely my top choice for music to listen to while I work (I am not oppressed by "the man"). A few of my favorite stations: Beatone (Austria), Best Radio (France), BNN (Dutch), Switch 1197 (Brisbane). There is also the eclectic group, the dance group, and the folk group that I peruse to find good stations. If you haven't, give it a try. It's certianly a departure from the same old music I hear on the local stations.

5. radiotower.com - access to free radio stations online. Just another way to listen to different stations, different music. There are stations that iTunes doesn't have.

6. Satellite radio - I listen to Sirius (well, until my antenna broke) and its definitely worth it. Not only are there quite a few music stations, but the talk radio choices are great. I listen to it online sometimes, but mostly when I'm in the car. The antenna broke recently and I am stuck with local radio. It is driving me crazy! Once you make the move to satellite radio, its hard to go back.

These are just some of my music experiences from 2008. Not only is there more than enough good music for anyone and their taste, but the ways in which you can access that music are varied. I listen to BHB when I want live music, satellite radio in the car, iPod when I run, and online radio when I'm working. Each is a vehicle for something different.

What were your musical choices in 2008?

Is Action Generational?

It is that time of year where custom suggests we review what went on in 2008 and plan for what we want to do in 2009. As I've done this, I realize that I get caught in the "thinking" at times more than the "doing". Yes, I've added breaking that habit to my 2009 list!

A conversation with a 60 something Italian immigrant started me thinking about how different generations handle think vs do. Robert made an interesting statement that he studied science because that is what you did to get a job. Then, in your free time, you could study the things you enjoy like philosophy, language, etc. What a stark contrast to the current generation of college students! Most do not subscribe to that philosophy. The train of thought is to find what you enjoy doing (even love, if you are lucky) and pursue it.

Robert's generational thought was do it because you had to. The current generation is do it because you want to. Where does that leave my generation? The ones in the middle.

To move from the "have to" to the "want to" generation, we had to move through the "think about it" generations. A bridge exists from one side to the other and that is where my generation hangs out. I used to take pride in all my thinking, but now I realize, a good part of that thinking is an excuse not to act, not to step outside my comfort zone. I see that pattern in others. A multi-billion dollar industry (self-help) exists to help us think through things. Unfortunately, many of us don't get past the thought part. We walk back to our parents side of the bridge and start the process over again.

Thinking is good. But, thought followed by action, changes the world. Stop thinking and do.

The Holiday is Different for All of Us

Commercials and advertisements paint the perfect family holiday. How many of us have actually had the picture perfect Christmas? Part of the stress of the holidays is the self-induced pressure of trying to get everything just right.

The reality is that we all experience the holidays differently. And, different isn't bad. Spending time with family is great if you like spending time with your family. Choosing to spend time with friends instead is great if your friends make you smile. Staying home and reading a good book or watching videos is great if you are looking for peace and quiet.

Whatever it is that brings you peace, joy, and happiness is what you should be doing - not only this week, but all the weeks of the year. Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, and enjoy yourself! Life is meant to be lived with a smile on your face.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!

Things I Love About Tallahassee

There are reasons why I live where I do and have lived here for 10 years. So, I decided to focus on the things I love about Tallahassee.

1. Friends: I am fortunate to have a diverse group of friends - horse friends, non-horse friends, friends I have worked with, and those I currently work with.

2. Weather: A big reason I live in Florida is the weather (and no state income tax). While others around the country are freezing and snowed in, I am wearing short sleeves. This is GREAT!

3. Horses: Yes, I can have this in most places, but the horse community I belong to here is important to me as well as the horses I have grown to love.

4. Scenery: Big, beautiful trees, canopy roads, green grass, tiny hills, the Capital, the Park on Park, the countryside, Lake Ella.....

5. The airport: Strange, I know, but where else can you get to the airport in 30 minutes, get a parking space 50 yards from the terminal and get through security in less than 10 minutes? After going through other airports, I love ours!

6. The Black Dog: I don't go there as much these days, but it was a big part of my life early on...remember those days Jenny?

7. My subdivision: I love the house I live in and the subdivision. The neighbors are nice and its a safe place. I feel secure here.

8. Running: The weather here is great for running and the nice wide sidewalks outside my neighborhood are perfect!

9. Shopping: While not the greatest shopping place on earth, I can manage to find most things I need. Now, if Ann Taylor leaves the mall, I am in trouble. We have a good number of book stores, wine shops, clothing stores, and restaurants.

10. Traffic, or lack of: I spend several days a month in Atlanta. Tallahassee has NO traffic.

11. Hangouts: Because I have been here awhile, I have developed "hangouts". Beef O Brady's comes to mind. The manager, Dennis, and the staff there are great. Samarai is another place where the manager knows my name and, on occassion gives me free drinks!

12. Eclectic experiences: The opportunity to have interesting experiences does exist here, but it takes some work. In the last several weeks, I have seen the visual performance band, Of Montreal, listened to some good local musicians at the Warehouse, gone to Market Days, and ate at a soup and sandwich shop in a building that used to be a nursing home. The key is that I have to look for and be open to new things.

While Richard Florida's book makes strong points for finding a location that fits for an individual, a case can be made that if one looks hard enough in our current location we can find most of what we are looking for and if we don't find it, maybe we need to create it.

What do you love about Tallahassee?

Have You Reached a Social Media Tipping Point?

You may have read a mini-rant I had on a blog post several weeks ago regarding being too connected with people. I was starting to do more with Facebook and realized that there were people out there I just didn't want to reconnect with and that social media opened the door for those reconnections as well. I was wondering if I was becoming to connected.

The answer, of course, is no. I am not too connected and never will be. As I am doing more with social media, making it a habit even when I haven't established a community in that forum yet (ie Twitter), I begin to think in social media terms. What I post, what a tweet, what I put on my profile, etc all begin to take shape over time to reflect who I am (in 140 words or less). It has been hard for me to decide how all these social media outlets could really reflect "me". The key has been to practice, to use the forum again and again, and watch what others are doing. I had to experiment. I haven't fully cracked the code on conveying the person I am through these techno tools, but I am making progress. It has been fun.

As a result, I am approaching a "tipping point" as Malcolm Gladwell would say. The experimenting that I am doing and the effort I am putting in is starting to pay off. I am connecting with a broader group of people. My network is becoming larger and I can see patterns within the connections. Social media is becoming a routine part of the way I interact with people much like cell phone usage over the previous years. For me, it's all about communicating.

We don't all view social media the same way, nor do we all want the same things out of the experience. If you are not spending some active time on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter, you should. Take a few months and give it a try. Over that time, you will understand what you want, what you like, and what you don't like. You will connect with the friends you see everyday and the ones you see at parties, then you will connect with friends from high school or college. You will find those with whom you had great talks or great times and remember what they meant to you. You will begin to approach your own "tipping point".

Find out how social media can fit into your life. It's worth it.

Mentoring

Apparently, I am older and wiser. I have had a tremendous amount of experiences in my life and have had more than one successful career. There is knowledge in those experiences that should be passed along. But since I work for myself, there is no "mentoring program" in my office for individuals who are new to my industry or new in their career. Mentoring in the traditional sense, isn't built into my work environment. It should be.

I am reminded, on occassion, that the younger or less experienced consultants, watch what I do and how I do it. They make decisions on what is appropriate and what is not appropriate based on my actions - even the little things. Whether I actively engage in mentoring or not, my actions are a form of teaching. This is a scary thought. It means that I must consistently meet or exceed my standards. If I don't, someone is watching and someone will think that cutting a corner is acceptable.

With that said then, passive mentoring does not meet my standard. I interact with younger or lesser experienced people quite often. Numerous opportunities to mentor exist. One or two more comments on the "why" of what I am doing is a mentoring opportunity. One or two more sentences explaining the big picture is a mentoring opportunity. Taking someone to lunch and asking them about their career, what they want, and where they are going is a mentoring opportunity.

We all have experiences and wisdom to pass along. And, while our company may not have an organized mentoring program, we can still mentor. I have added mentoring as a focus in my career. I would encourage everyone to do the same. Take some time to think about the people you interact with and how you can help them, even subtly, move forward in their careers. Pass along your wisdom and your experiences. These are rich gifts that we should share.

The Need List

I was in a conference today with a large number of federal employees. I heard discussions on the hiring process, management processes, etc. The walls seemed to close in on me. Every word I heard was pointing out the obvious (the problems) - not many people were positive and not many wanted to put the time or effort in to solutions. I can hire a teenager to point out the problems to me (or, I am smart enough to figure them out for myself). What I need are solutions and very few people in that room today made it on my "need" list.

Ever wonder where you fall on your boss's "need" list? Do you point out the obvious? Do you emphasize (ad nauseam) the problems the organization faces? Or do you ask the question "what is the solution"? Thinking about solutions fosters solutions. Devon pointed this out a couple of days ago on a blog post comment. What we think about begins to take root and generate momentum as well as generate answers.

Don't get caught in the trap that office discussions often offer - a chance to vent. Be the agent of change that makes a less-than-stellar situation better. Be the leader.

The Best of.....

.......my day, today:

1. Don't waste my time with meetings.

2. Pay attention to the details.

3. Clients, customers, and bosses make judgements based on your actions - make every action count (See Number 2).

4. Seriously, I have got to have time to workout.

5. I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you.

6. There is absolutely no reason to require me to be sitting in a cubicle at 6:30am. In fact, there is nothing I am doing in that cubicle that can't be done by telecommuting (well, except maybe for Number 5).

7. Blocking internet content will NOT make me more productive (See Number 6).

8. Plastic is not a material to be used in making shoes.

9. Buzz words should be outlawed.

10. People are a gift.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

If You Could Change Your Life....

would you?

This title was "benchmarked" from a Seth Godin blog post on December 1st. He is promoting his really cool business internship idea. If I lived in New York, I would apply. After finishing the article, I moved on to other blog posts and finished some work. But, after I was done, the title of his post was still with me.

If I could change my life, would I? When I repeated the title out loud, I was shocked at my response. Move. Hmm....did I really say that? Is that a "grass is always greener" default? Well, I can change my life - I have that power. We all do. So, maybe the real question is why haven't I?

This is not the first time recently that I have talked about location (reference Who's Your City post). But after more thought, I realized that while other cities may offer more opportunities for me, I won't capitalize on those opportunities unless I make some changes in the day to day decisions I make.

While big, hairy, audacious goals (i.e. radical change) can take us to a new level, its the routine things we do (the 2-5 yard gains for you football fans) that steadily move our lives forward and affect our happiness. So, while I think that we need to take those big steps, the real change comes in our everyday actions. I can change my life and I will - every time I make a choice. Here are some choices I can make everyday that will change my life.

1. Workout - there is no excuse for being out of shape.
2. Be happy - life can be MUCH worse.
3. Look at every situation as an opportunity - thought followed by action changes the world
4. Do something - no one is responsible for my happiness (or unhappiness) but me
5. Appreciate people, places, and things - its not all about ME.
6. Be responsible - financially, morally, intellectually.

I have been lazy in my choices and lazy in my thinking. It's time to just do it.

Think, then act. Take charge of your life and make it what you want it to be - every moment, every day.

Today's "Closer to Free" Friend

I read Susan Woods' blog entry yesterday and felt her excitement at taking a sabbatical during the 2009 - 2010 academic year. This is great news and I am very happy for her. This fits into a general theme I have felt this week of changing one's life to do whatever it is you are wanting to do. We hear this a lot, I know, and I am not suggesting recklessly making important decisions. But, Susan is a great example to follow. She saw a way to accomplish her goals 1) writing 2) traveling while keeping some balance with her current life. She has mustered the courage to DO IT.

I suspect we all have ways in which we can accomplish those deeper goals that tend to stay hidden without completely turning our lives upside down. The issue is that our real goals are the ones we will sacrifice for - if we are not willing to put the work into them they are just wishes. Recognize the difference and focus on your goals, not your wishes.

Congratulations and best wishes - Susan is "closer to free"!

A Different Form of Creativity

Last night, I went to The Moon and watched Of Montreal perform (until 1am - shocking, I know). OM is a performance art band that just so happens to have the great Davey Pierce as their bassist (son of my friends Bob and Diann). That should answer most of the immediate "why were you there" questions. What a great experience! While I probably won't follow them around the country, it was good to be open to something different. It was also wonderful to watch the proud parents.

Davey is a really cute, good guy. And, I am happy for him in how his career is unfolding. I have no idea, though, how he is able to keep the pace up. The band moves non-stop for two hours. There are no slow places, no breaks between songs, etc. No, they are not getting through the set with drugs either. They are a "no drug taking", "vegetarian eating" group! In addition to the music, are mini-performances. The entire two hours is choreographed to some degree with numerous costume changes by the lead singer, Kevin. The creativity that goes into the show is amazing.

Granted, I would not have read about this group in the paper and decided to go to the show. I went because I wanted to see Davey perform. But, I enjoyed the experience and left with an appreciation of the talent of the performers (not just musicians).

Everyone expresses themselves in different ways. Being open to appreciating the differences can add a little something to our own lives. Whose creativity are you appreciating today?

Music Anyone?

Its Friday. I am home and happy about it. I don't think I will have any time to do any thing before I leave again. My "got to get done" list is CRAZY.

So, I'm solving this time dilemma by blogging and asking....What are you listening to RIGHT NOW?

For me, its Bohemio Radio through itunes.

A Consultant's Day Two

So, with Monday came classic consultant mistakes, Tuesday brought much that is good about what I do. I compliment my consulting work with teaching and facilitation and today, I was team teaching a basic agro-terrorism course for Dept of Agriculture personnel (120 of them). Two days, two very different experiences (see yesterday's post, A Consultant's Day)

I taught a new section which typically means I am not as fluent in my presentation. Facts and examples don't come effortlessly at just the right time. Timing and transitions are not natural. The flow of words doesn't match the flow of slides. I was especially concerned because of the large number of people. I had to use a microphone - I don't like to be confined to one place and using a wireless mic limits the large number of hand gestures I use (I am Southern, you know, and talking with your hands is genetic).

But, everything that was wrong with Monday was right with Tuesday. I was "in the zone". Days like these are great. It reinforces my belief in my capabilities and validates why I do what I do. I love to talk to people, I love to facilitate discussion, and I love helping people make connections on things they might not normally think about.

We teach again tomorrow and I'm not sure I can deliver back to back stellar performances - that fact keeps me grounded. No matter how great the class went today, tomorrow is a whole different group of people and dynamics change. I can't sit back and expect tomorrow to be as great as today. I have to put forth the same level (or greater level) of effort. I have to keep refining my skills.

When was the last time you were "in the zone"?

A Consultant's Day

Today, I had one of those consultant days. It is the Monday after a four day holiday which, in and of itself, SCREAMS problems. I did some work over the holiday to get myself in a better position for a busy week. I knew I was on the "edge" of having it all together to keep my projects moving while out of town teaching.

I got up this morning and tackled all the pre-departure details and all the crap I had just been putting off. Feeling pretty good, I drive over to pick up a couple of checks (getting better!). Then, all hell broke loose. The edge was creeping closer to my feet and I made a few classic mistakes.

First classic consultant mistake, RUSH to get everything done before you leave. You always forget something or you make a bad decision.

Number two, get caught up in another's classic consultant mistake and compound your anxiety and workload. This usually takes the form of a bad decision which you pay for during the remainder of the week.

Three, lose all powers of reason and communication. Once you have reached a level of higher anxiety, the ability to make a good decision disappears and with that the ability to communicate, even remotely, with key players.

Four, I forgot the wall charger for my phone. This doesn't even require an explanation.

I'm not sure how my week will go. I am teaching tomorrow and Wednesday and will be covering some new material which I am not quite as familiar with so I am spending my evening "brushing up". My projects are on hold until Thursday and a quick look at my calendar really puts them off until Friday. Of course, there is always the weekend and yes, I will be working up until the time I leave on Sunday for another week of travel.

I hate it when I do stupid consultant stuff!

But, I love what I do and how I can do it. I am in control (for the most part) of my life, my world, my time, my energy. To paraphrase from a Bodeans' song, I am "closer to free".

Anybody else do anything stupid today?