My Favorite Hashtag / Acronym: #LOVE!

The old saying goes "out of challenges come opportunities." The challenge I seem to face more and more from assignment to assignment is my age. It seems as I have aged my attitude and outlook on a lot of things has changed.

My Grandma used to say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I don't really think that's my issue because I have always been a quick study. My mind stays sharp. It's not as sharp as my children's because it seemed they always strived to outthink me. It's akin to a criminal always having to stay one step ahead of law enforcement. Basically that is the only constant benchmark I have had. Even though I have made what I feel are much better life decisions than two out of three. My eldest two always vowed that they would never work as hard as me, they always preferred fast money which made me cringe at the thought of such a lifestyle.

I learned old school hard work ethics. But being blessed to live long enough where my mother, myself, my children, and grandchildren are alive is a constant reminder to me the obstacles and opportunities people sometime face at all ages.

The acronym I most like is LOVE. Since hashtags are so popular I like #LOVE. I usually follow with Love Others Value Equality. I can contribute that to my disdain for the hashtag and acronym #MAGA. If I was running a political campaign I would use the hashtag #LOVE to stand for Love Others Value Equality. There I said it again.

I feel it is so important to embrace others no matter how you feel about them. We all have our own struggles and I wouldn't want to be the person to make someone else's life more miserable due to my hang-ups. I try and be very aware and astute of my shortcomings.

I remember when my children were younger I would always sign cards I wrote for others, especially on holidays and birthdays and sign a big L with "Love, Lauren, Lewis, Lisa, and Lynne.)

One of the things I would like to see happen is for me to be able to open a place of business with a niche of catering to the people in my age group. Those who won't be able to often collect a retirement or social security check for another ten to fifteen years after we become not the most desireable new employee. Because let's face it, its hard to sell the newness about us. I would like to also have a business that caters to those who are retired and don't have the support of their children. I know for myself my children are busy raising their family in another area or otherwise for other reasons at one time trying to make fast money caught up in an unending cycle and can't be there for a support system for their parents, rather their parents have to be a support system for them.

Life happens, and either you can succumb to the things you can't control or learn to adjust.  I choose to adjust.  Seek out resources and opportunities because I don't want to wallow in self-pity.  Knowing rather than sending out one resume and get hired I may have to go nine months of sending out resumes every day in hopes of getting an opportunity.  As I wish so many others I am hopeful and wish for myself Godspeed! 

And remember to Love Others and Value Equality because a word of encouragement can mean the difference in someone giving up or moving onward and upwards.  A bad attitude towards people because of their age, their over experience, their inexperience, their hair color, the way they choose to address, because they attract men or don't attract men, is no reason to hate on anyone.

Self reflection I have learned over my years will lead you into a better direction.  Never be bitter over someone being blessed with a blessing you thought you were better equipped for.  When God brings someone to something he doesn't always called the equipped but he does equip the called for his purposes.  We all have our purpose in life.  We all have our stage in life.  I am heading towards my third act and I hope that the experiences from my first two will make me a better person.

I know I have an issue with people  who I don't get good vibes about and I always try and encourage myself to Love Others and Value Equality.  And I am so thankful that I am old enough were I learned to respect my elders and respect others because you never know what other people are going through and kindness doesn't hurt it helps even if no good deed goes unpunished God gives the hardest battles to his strongest soldiers as my son always tells me.

God's Grace is Sufficient

January 6, 2020

My part-time gig with a local university ends this week.  So I will be in the job market once again.  This time I am going to expand my job search to do things I have never done before and to go places I have never been before.

Thank God this time around I won't be going it alone.  I at least have a friend that I can bounce things off of and can help keep check on my place as I travel in and out of town for the job interviews I will be lining up.  It doesn't hurt to have a few dollars for money for gas and food to make it through too.  Having a good support system is crucial and I am thankful to be blessed with a giver because Lord knows I have had more than my fair share of takers.

One thing I have learned over the last several years is to be a lot more conservative with spending.  I am amazed at how much I am able to do with a whole lot less than I am accustomed to making.  Life has sometimes afforded me to do less with more and at other times, like now, forced me to do more with a whole lot less.  The ups and downs made me realize a lot of businesses and organizations that have impacted my life pretty much have it one way or the other mainly.  Some places have much less as far as budget amounts and are tasked to do so much more.   The privileged businesses and organizations  get to do less with more.  

Lesson learned:  it made me realize how important it is to be a good steward. at all times  Those businesses and organizations that do more with less seem to have a whole lot more heart and compassion.  The ones who are privileged to do a lot less with more take too much for granted.  They focus on the wrong things.  The money is fine so they are fine.  They don't keep up with the latest technological advancements, they don't benchmark to be better because they feel they are the best.  They don't diversify because their nature is to treat people the way they have always treated people because it has worked for them.  It basically becomes their culture.  They often times shun the importance of staying open, necessary, and relevant.  Things start to decline all around them internally with no real checks and balances.  I think the correct term would be superfluous.  They get what I call "ego spoiled".  They lose focus on the core of their existence and all the things that need to keep churning and get oiled.  Things look fantastic on the outside and internally they are rotten to the core. 

Different business models and organizational structures intrigue me.  I once had an instructor who interviewed 300 CEO's and seemed so excited about the paper she was working on.  At the time, I didn't get it but I do now.  

I am thankful for all the experiences I"ve gone through because I get a little more insight on my way forward.  It enlightens me more about what I know and don't know and how much I still can learn just by watching and observing how others operate and how they operate their businesses.  I have had a whole lot of hands-on experience.  There have been opportunities I have walked away from for a myriad of reasons.  My IQ is a lot higher than the average person and I can see things way ahead of most people.  Sometimes I see a goodbye can be sweet as pie, bittersweet, a loss, or the toss of a coin.  It always gives me a better insight as how to approach future opportunities which is always a win.  

I am going to use the time before I find another job or open my own business and not gig to work towards evaluating my life in terms of doing more with less and not taking things for granted.  There is a reason for every season.  The leaves on the trees grow green, change colors in the fall, and the tree is replenished with more leaves.  The side of the tree with the most sunlight normally grows the biggest and the brightest.  I want to be on the side where the sun shines for my next opportunity.