That's What Neighbors Do

The social at my South fence

That’s What Neighbors Do

It was a Saturday.  You know what that means.  Lots to do around the house!  And, I still had so much work in my business to do that I needed at least a full week just to catch up.  I was feeling a little overwhelmed already and then, as I drove up my driveway on the way home from a meeting, I looked out in my field and counted to one.

Why one you ask?  It’s because that’s the only number I could count to, since there weren’t two large animals there!  “That’s just great,” I said to myself.  “Now, on top of everything else, I need to spend the rest of the afternoon chasing my steer.”

When I got into the house I pulled my trusty field glasses out of the cupboard and began to count my neighbors animals. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!  Yes.  My steer was there.

There are lots of lessons to be learned by participating in a roundup and perhaps the most important one is, “Don’t even try it alone!”  So I picked up the phone and called one of my daughters and her husband to see if they could come and help me.   They kindly obliged and when they arrived we made the long walk to the back of my property to see how “54” had escaped.

It didn’t take long.  The fence was pushed way out and up in a mound just as if it had been pregnant and had given birth to a 600 pound steer.  So, we removed the fence and began to walk to the small herd of cows up ahead.  As we did so, my neighbor and friend John walked out to consult with us.  His help was a welcome relief and we made a plan together.

We’ve done this lots of times before so we’re getting pretty good at it.  But, things don’t always go as planned.  Hope springs eternal!

This time we were able to separate the heard from 54 through the use of food and a corral.  Then we were able to push 54 to the hole in the fence and coax him through with the same lure of food.  It all went very smoothly and it turned out to be not so much of a chore after all.

In the end, we (John, Garrison, Kilee and I) worked together to repair the fence.  John offered his tools, materials and expertise and joined them with ours until we had completed the job in short order.  But, what John provided more than anything else was his friendship.

To say that John is my neighbor is not enough; he is a friend most importantly.  He is a kind and caring man who has never been angry with me even though my cows sometimes ruin our fence and cost him time helping.  He doesn’t have to help, but he does.  He does so just because that’s who he is.

I’m grateful for such a friend and neighbor!  John makes me want to be a better neighbor and friend.  In fact, as I walked back from our fence-side-social, I began to think of things I could do for John as a token of my appreciation.  After all, that’s what neighbors do!

Be the best neighbor you can be.  If you’ll be a great neighbor and friend you’ll find that your life will be enriched as you spend time with the people who live near you.  And, when people ask you why you’re doing it just say, “That’s what neighbors do!”

Tomorrow's Offer

“No matter how bad things get there is always another day.”

Cody Thompson

Tomorrow’s Offer

Every one of us will make a bad choice at least once in our life.  Every one of us will have times when things haven’t gone as we had hoped.  This is especially the case when we are young and trying to find our path in the world.  In those times it’s great to have friends and family to lean on to help us through.

I listened to Cody Thompson give a tribute to his Father, at a business meeting, when he said, “When I was growing up I offered many challenging times to my Father.  And because of that he taught me that, ‘no matter how bad things get, there is always another day.’” 

How fortunate is the person who learns this valuable lesson early on in life!  For such a person has learned that they don’t need to live in the past.  They can look forward with faith toward a brighter future.

So, what can you do to take leverage this advantage in your own life?

First, live in your present truth.  That is to say, “yes. I made a mistake and this is where I am today as a result of that mistake.”  Doing so allows you to fully learn everything you need to from your mistakes. Hiding mistakes retards your growth and impedes your future.

Second, accept that who you are today is enough for today.  There is no reason to spend your whole life saying, “I wish I hadn’t!”  Everything in your past has brought you to your current condition and has provided you with a unique and important education.  Make sure you use that schooling to your advantage as well as for the enlightenment of others.  It will help you build a better life in the future.

Third, spend time every day thinking about and preparing the path for your future. I like to call this my “glad I did time.”  It’s a time that gets me ready to make great decisions about what I’m going to do with my tomorrow.  And, if you’ll try it, it will allow you to live your life on purpose.

Living you life on purpose, accepting tomorrow’s offer, will give you different kinds of freedom.  You won’t worry about what other people think about the way you live because you’ll have the self-confidence of knowing you’re on your own chosen path.  It has the ability to change the way you spend your money, where you live, and what you do with your time.  Perhaps most importantly, I have discovered, that accepting tomorrow’s offer is the best way to change who you are in the inside.

Living From Your Heart

http://www.salt-lake-county-utah-real-estate.com

Living From Your Heart

Every once in a while something happens in life that causes one to question everything.  Such is the case with a good friend of mine.  I sat with him this week and intently listened to the events that led him to his moment of self discovery.

As I listened to him describe his tribulation I was filled with empathy.  He described the unfolding events in a way that expressed a tale highlighted by personal lessons learned and recognition of miracles received.  Such insight can only come from quiet contemplation; he had spent a great deal of time discerning his personal talents and had clearly defined his strengths in preparation to discover his life’s next great adventure.

I hated to interrupt his compelling account but felt compelled to do so.  “I can see your talents and strengths clearly,” I said.  “They’re key components of your great success.  But, what of joy; what is it you truly love to do?”

He looked back at me with slight questioning in his eyes and said, “I haven’t looked at it from that angle!”

Then we spent more time talking about what his heart yearned to do and that he hadn’t seen a way to do what he really loved because of many hurdles that lay in the path.  That’s when we talked about the concept of combining heartfelt love with individual talents and personal strengths.

“If you simply adjust your thinking in the slightest way,” I said, “you can begin to discover potential unique combinations between your heart, talent, strength and your life’s work.”

Doing so allows each individual to bring a powerful and unique combination that is rare in today’s world.  It’s what sets you apart from all others around you.  I like to refer to it as that “extra bit” that’s intangible, yet discernible to others.  It’s where the old saying, “she has it.”  Nobody seems to know what “IT” is, but “IT” is there!

Everyone has the ability to set themselves apart by going through a process of self discovery and living their life from their heart.  When I speak with those who have found their way to such a life they all tell me it’s what has “saved them.”  Begin this journey on your own, without life’s compulsion, and you’ll open a new universe of discovery that is unimaginable to you today.  It’s never too late and always worth the trip!

What is your heart telling you?

Discovering the Principle of Resilience

“Things happened that weren’t supposed to happen.”

- Crawford Cragun

Discovering the Principle of Resilience

One of the things I’ve learned about life, through experience, is that everything doesn’t always happen the way I want or in the way I expected it to.  I know I’m not the only one who feels that way.  This week held many examples of this and I thought you’d benefit from what I experienced.

 I had one of my close friends and client’s home under contract to a potential buyer.  Everything seemed to be going real well until about the middle of the week when I received an unexpected, and unwelcome, contract cancellation!   Giving such bad news is one of the things that takes a little luster out of my work, but in doing so I’ve learned a valuable lesson.

“John,” I said, “The Buyer has cancelled the deal, but don’t worry, something better will come along.  We simply need to stay focused on moving forward.  There’s nothing we can do to make someone do what they don’t want to do.”

We stuck to our marketing plan and began to move forward again; it paid off and we began to have success immediately.  Still, such bad news isn’t always easy to swallow.

“Lynn, I just can’t put this behind me.” John said.  “Isn’t there anything we can do to get them to come back to the table?”

“No.” I said.  “My experience is that if we stick to our plan and move forward without looking back something better will come along.  We just can’t see it yet.”

“That’s why I work with you.” John replied.

Sure enough within the next two days we received two offers that were better, stronger and for more money than the one that failed!  I can’t explain it!  I just know there is some principle at work here and I’m hoping to one day be able to capture it and internalize it!

I had a similar conversation with my friend Crawford Cragun this week as we discussed the process of finding ones personal passion.  “Things happened that weren’t supposed to happen.” Crawford said as we talked about one small segment of his professional history.

“I can completely relate to that.” I said.  “When I look back on my own business career I can honestly say that perhaps what I’ve been most successful at is remaking myself several times.”

Now that I say that, and I look back more carefully, one thing has become very obvious to me.  That is, when I’ve been able to follow the advice I gave to John earlier in the week things have indeed turned out just fine.  I’ve allowed the past to remain in the past. I’ve adjusted to current situation with both eyes looking to the future.  I’ve kept my plan firmly in mind and my heart fully engaged in seeking my planned success.  Something better, or just as good, has always come my way and I’ve rebounded in a relatively short time.

That’s not to say there aren’t some sleepless nights and a lot of hard work involved.  Hard work and consistent effort will always win out over pure talent alone in the end.  And herein lays the principle I’ve been looking for all these years!

A person who consistently looks to the future with faith, and follows a well conceived plan, while working hard, with their heart fully engaged, will enjoy resilience that always yields success in the long run.

So, next time you’re feeling a little worn and beat up read this Principle of Resilience statement and let its truth give you the hope you deserve!  If you will, you’ll find your true passion and the strength to keep seeking it every day!