Maintenance.
When most people think of the work “maintenance,” they don’t necessarily get overwhelmed with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Instead, most people begin thinking of the dreaded cost of ownership of automobiles, homes, power tools, and appliances. I get it. I feel the same way about taking in my car for its 4-month overdue oil change and replacing the burned-out taillight I first noticed almost a year ago. But I digress… Maintenance shouldn’t simply be known as this annoying “cost of ownership” feature that provides ample inconvenience in our lives. Instead, it should be viewed as building blocks for success in our ownership of the things we use every day. Think about it this way: A $45 oil change will ensure your car doesn’t blow up, costing $6500 in replacing the engine. A $105 annual HVAC service visit could save you the $600 service call in the middle of July when your unit can’t keep up. It just makes sense to take the time to give our everyday items a tune up every now and then. Now, imagine how much stronger our relationships would be in we performed scheduled maintenance on them. What if we took the time every 3 months to spend 60-minutes catching up with a friend from college. What if we invited our family from out of state to our homes for a weekend each year that your kids can bond with each other. What if you take 6 minutes every day to laugh with your spouse over the hilarious bumper stickers you each saw on your commute to work that day. Instead of viewing maintenance as a necessary even for our cars and home, we need to view it as something special that keeps US moving firmly ahead. In life, relationships, and careers. Because simply “getting by,” should never be the goal.
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Wants Vs. Needs.
This is a conflicted narrative we often confuse ourselves and our loved ones with; and it begin to take its toll on us personally when we place our wants over our needs time and time again. We heard it all the time growing up: “Do you WANT that or do you NEED that new video game, that skateboard, that new pair of jeans? The reality is, if it is not a necessity for life, it is not a “need.” There is a large contingent of workers in the United States (and around the world) that go to work every day working for their needs. They work tirelessly to feed their children, provide a safe and nurturing home, and enable those in their care to surpass their social and professional status. They work because they need to, or else consequences happen. However, what about the contingent that work beyond their “needs.” Those who don’t have to think twice about going out to lunch every day, or those who it might be expected of them to dress to a certain level in their professional environment? What is the fuel that keeps them going? What is the encouraging factor that pushes them to earn their MBA, to put in the long hours pursing excellence in their craft? On the flip side, what is it that may encourage the seasoned professional to pack a lunch and save a few dollars every week, even when it’s not necessary? Sometimes, when our needs are met, our wants are what drives us. Our wants, and our wants for those we love pushes us to the next level. Whether it is being able to pay for our children to go to the best school in town, saving up to take our fiancé on a vacation, or to splurge on those shoes you dog-eared in the latest VOGUE, it’s important to have wants. Wants may be superficial. Wants may be selfish. Wants may be at the antithesis of rationale. However, even when our hard work is driven by the necessity of providing NEEDS for ourselves and those around us, the driving force of propulsion is that we WANT more for the ones we love. We WANT better for those we work tirelessly for. We WANT those we care for to enjoy a life we never had. Perhaps it’s time to change the narrative. While we work for what we “need;” our pursuit of excellence is out of desire for the things we “want.” Life is funny.
I wouldn’t say it is hard; I wouldn’t say it is easy. I would simply say that it’s funny. It is funny how difficult it can be at times; and it is funny how frustrating moments in our lives can seem. It is also funny how amazingly wonderful life can be. It is funny how three minutes of laughter can destroy the negativity of a an otherwise disappointing day. It is funny how much love you can surround yourself with, yet still feel lonely; and it is funny how someone in a completely new place, truly alone, can feel completely loved by having people rooting for their success. The next time someone tells you how great, how terrible, or how weird life can be; you know how you should reply. “Life is funny, isn’t it.” So today I decided to try something new.
Instead of sitting down and writing (fairly) long blogs every couple weeks, I wanted to take the first 10 Minutes of each day and write a little bit. Sometimes you may hear me recant an experience I had the day before, and other times I may simply write a quick hello. The idea is that after 8 months of everyday writing, someone can (hopefully) find something they can relate to, and maybe even change themselves for the better. Welcome to The DAILY365. Thank You for reading. |
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