Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

This is just an extemporaneous post I wanted to make as it occurred to me today. As I was cleaning my office, I realized I have a pretty cushy life. I have a lot of nice things, live comfortably and am for the most part very happy. A lot of the time however these things are taken for granted. How can a person make a daily effort to better appreciate his or her good fortune? What things can one do to better exercise their full potential? I know there are a lot of people that do more than I do with far less resources and tools than I have.

If anyone has any tips for living a more productive and conscience life, I`d be more than happy to hear them.

Mason

Isn`t it the same when you watch a child grow? If you`re there, day by day, they seem pretty much the same. But if you see the child only once a year, or even every couple of years, they`re almost unrecognizable.

A business is so much like a child...learning, growing, becoming self-sufficient. So how do you take a "photograph" of a business?

Anyone else want to share how they appreciate their success and good fortune? Lately, I`ve been making a concerted effort at helping others and being more productive with my time and resources.

This isn`t necessarily a business oriented topic but more a general life discussion.

-Mason  

Last year I did food bags for NV Safe Place, which assists homeless youth under the age of 18.  This year I can`t really do that because of my sister`s illness (I`ve been helping her financially), so I`m using up my yarn and knitting scarves for them.  I plan to provide them to NV Safe Place in time for Halloween (and cold weather setting in).

My father as always taught me to be time conscious and told me how time was a scarce ressource, he told me that if you loose $1000 today, you can always get it back if  business is good the next day, howeveryif you loose one second you can  never get it back (even if you pay a fat pile of cash for it)

Lesson to remember : time is more valuable than money

One of the other value he passed on to me is to be greatful on the essentials I`ve, that`s a heart that work (the heart is a complex piece of machienery that work so damn well that most people don`t even bother trying to figure out how it works), breathing, walking, having loving parents & support of a family ...

Lesson to remember : Don`t miss on the essentials.

Something which can help not passing on the essentials is imaging yourself on your death bed, do you want to be remember who someone who worked 20 hours a days and never spent good time with his family, or someone who played hard and worked hard ... It`s a question of life balance ...

 

Mason,

This is a great topic – very insightful.

Like you, I am living a blessed life and it`s due to my hard work and determination. My intent in "doing good" so to speak, is not so that I can personally reap the benefits, it`s so that my family members and friends who maybe struggling can benefit as they’re the ones who are truly in need.

I believe that I am benefiting from all the blood sweat and tears that my parents and loved ones have put forth in the past and therefore feel that it important that I complete the cycle.

Thanks for your post.

 

-------------------------

Wishing you all continued blessings and successes!
~Roshelle (aka SparkleGirl), SparklingCards.com
We provide customized cards that make your gifts shine! Also, our Wedding Day Survival Kit has been featured in America`s Bride Magazine.

Also, please check out my new venture, welcome2college.com - a FREE resource site for prospective and newly enrolled university and college students.

Tarek--
It sounds like you`ve read the poem "The Dash" by Linda Ellis:

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning . . . to the end.
He noted that first came the date of  her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars . . . the house . . . the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard;
are there things you`d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what`s true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we`ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile . . .
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy is being read
with your life`s actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?

Thanks for the great posts everyone. I apologize for not following up on this topic sooner as I`ve been pretty busy lately.

Jillybeans, that`s inspiring! I`m sorry to hear about your sister and hope she gets well soon.

Tarek, I really like what you had to say about taking full advantage of your time. Lately, I`ve been improving my planning and scheduling abilities to make the most of my time. One thing that really helps is waking up earlier. It makes the days feel so much longer. You know the old quote by Benjamin Franklin: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." This couldn`t be more true!

Roshelle, your last paragraph really strikes a chord with me. Very well said.

Does anyone have anything else to add? Altruistic acts? Ways to better appreciate your good fortune? I find that just keeping busy and engaged makes a lot of difference in my life. Actually, just thinking about staying busy could be an entirely separate topic altogether!

I think it`s important to be grateful for what we have, and important to give back.  Two years ago we started donating a portion of our sales to a non profit organization that aids and assists our troops. We also send care packages to our troops.

I am grateful that we have a business.

Outstanding! Now that`s something to keep in mind. Donation to a not for profit organization.

Thanks for your response.