Good morning wonderful friend :)
How's that cold weather treating you??? The other day, super bowl actually, was why everyone and their mom is moving to and lives in Arizona.... I was in shorts man! Then.. .like a bipolar crazy ex-girlfriend.... shit got crazy! it's been u.g.l.y. cold. yuck! You wouldn't guess by looking outside, but man, gets ya!
[side note].....
I totally called the super bowl this year.
Thanks to my incredible choice of the drafted team I picked for Avin, his KC Chiefs beat my 49ers. Which was fair you know... a Dad has to let his kids win now and again... and well.. this was one of them. So if you're a KC fan.... you. are. welcome ;)
I mentioned last week Chas and I have been in the throes of rearranging our house some. Mostly the front of the home where my old office was switched with the boys old TV room. (Next Friday I will share the new office [Grand Opening] with you... I just didn't have the time to organize my thoughts and pics today.. it'll be worth the wait though) The nice thing about the change has been having the space to include more things that are important to me without being overbearing with the "stuff"
Years ago when we were looking for a new desk for Chas I came across this amazing piece of art. It stopped me in my tracks and I was ready to buy it no matter the cost. For a long time now it's been at the front of the house in our TV entertainment center deal. This was really the only spot I could think of at the time... over time though, it was in a spot unworthy of its meaning and it wasn't long before forgot it was even there.
In hindsight now, I suppose I could have done this in my old office, however it must have been the new train of thought that motivated its artistic and moving placement. As soon as you step into the office, for me at least, this is the first thing I see.
I can't recall how I came to the conclusion of placing it here, but it took like 3 seconds once in my office to know where to put it... gently pushing it a tad further back so the base can be hidden into the top cabinet... man! it was like a calling from heaven to place it there.
I believe that as time goes on, success (whatever that means to you), you become more of who you are. I'm sure you know someone that's become successful in their own right, maybe they've become wicked popular, received some award, or even grosser, suddenly has a lot of money - regardless of how it was attained.... once any of those happen, in short time they become different... they become more of who they've always been. When it negatively impacts the person it's sad to watch that - I'm going to call it, self destruction... lost in themselves on a path of self destruction.
Having watched this first hand myself, it's top of mind as I feel my own self version of success develop. Finding my handyman roots mixed with my heart of a real estate teacher/agent has given me, for me, an identity I can back and feel gud about. The stresses of what I'm trying to do have progressively shifted into what feels like, for me, success... therefore I've become, still becoming, more of whom I believe I am.
Real estate wasn't easy for me... hell, it sucked really. Deliberately going upstream, against a raunchy current of "this feels uncomfortable"... but that evolved into something that I really enjoy now. Through that growth, much like the one who goes to the gym regularly.. the bodily transformation is there... for me, all of this has transformed me and what's important to me... Is why I think I was motivated to tattoo "grateful" and "selfless" on my arm.. to wear what I mean, to wear what reminds me to focus on what I "can" control... especially in this kind of work where (in my opinion) one does not sell, they lead.
The hardest part about serving people is leading with the intentions of pulling, rather than pushing. So much more gets done when you can pull your people, your family, your friends... yourself. This is far harder than pushing as you have to watch the people you're pulling... all the while your back is to the unknown, but unconsciously you know where you're going.. you may trip now and again, but you're quick to get up, you're pulling people remember.. The people being pulled are at times short of being dragged, but you can see the weakness in them, indications to slow the pull, empathize, sympathise with them, all while never letting go.
The demand this has on you, the puller, it's exhausting, but damn worth the struggle... although blindly leading forward with your back turned to the unknown (how's that for an oxymoron?) your intentions and heart lead you correctly. The one's you're pulling, they can see where you're going... if done well enough, they will end up running beside you, both now forward - together... hopefully you will be around long enough to see them pass you, now you chasing them... hoping that when they look over their shoulder they always see you having their back, ready to pick them up should they stumble ahead.
When I see this statue, it means something to me.... it reminds me of why I, - WE do, for those we care about.... and everyone is worth caring about. <3
All of that was a really long way of saying that as I feel this version of what success means to me.. and as it continues to root itself, I feel like I'm becoming more of who I am.... a rope in my hand, blindly leading forward with my back to the unknown, pulling people. This is a quiet vulnerable feeling, but one worth the struggle and heartache.
As I sit here, small tear in my eye as I process the emotion, I look up to where I know the statue to be... not until this very moment do I realize what I am looking up at, looking up to... it's overwhelming really seeing this... as stated earlier... it's placement must have been heaven sent....
damn.
Now I'm the one being pulled. The faceless figure, looking down, a rope its hand, blindly leading forward with its back to the unknown...
pulling
me.
I don't really know how to close with anything more than that. I truly did not plan the placement of that other than knowing this felt like it was meant to be here.... As I work from the desk I built with my hands, as I work to provide for my family, as I work to lead/pull and help my, our, customers, our family, our team... our people... those we care about... when I feel exhausted, stressed, vulnerable, ______ , all I have to do is look up and to my right... a silhouette is pulling me forward with its back to the unknown. :')
Damn.
This picture keeps cycling through my backgrounds... it must have picked up how I started today's blog turned monologue... therefore I must share. :)
No matter the stresses in life, there's so much more to be grateful for... when you're feeling like that... just look up and to your right and focus on those things... something beyond yourself will help pull from your rut.
Have a grateful weekend friend. Chas and I are here if you need anything.