Happy Father’s Day!

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Success

Now, there’s an eye-catching word.  Success.  Successful.  It’s what we’re all striving for, whether it be successful in a business we’re running, a successful relationship, a successful personal goal.  Let’s look at the meaning of the word success more carefully.

The dictionary says:  suc·cess –noun

(I’ve always hated when they use a form of the word to define the word - that’s really not that helpful in most circumstances.)  While we are all looking for success in our lives in different ways, I believe that to be truly successful is to be content and happy with yourself.  Because if you are truly content and happy with yourself, you will have attained the highest success possible and will be successful in all areas of your life.  To be successful in business means different things to different people.  If you have started a business, are doing what you love and are paying the bills - that to me is success.  Why do some people attain that level of success and continually strive for more?  Because they’re driven, that’s why.  Once they are happy with the step they’re on, they will reach for the next step.  Jonathan Fields is a blogger that I stumbled across awhile ago who writes great blogs.  (I invite you to go to his site and read about him - you’ll see what I mean.)  From what I’ve read about him and from him, I would say that this man is a complete success.  He seems balanced in what he does in all aspects of his life.  That, my friends, is success.

Now don’t get me wrong — there is NOTHING wrong with being driven.  I am driven.  But I feel you need to be happy - or at least content - with being driven.  If you wake up every morning with an anxiety attack about what you need to do today and you’re overwhelmed to the point of being frozen - you need to slow down!  Or at least get better organized.  (Hey!  You might need a VA!)   But just remember - we only have this one life for as long as we have it, and we just don’t know how long that will be.  Don’t waste your life –chase after your dream of success, whatever that dream may be.  You’ll know it when you’re there - it’s a feeling of peace, happiness and contentment - a balance in every part of your life.

The Personal Side

Anyone caught up on their gardening?  With all this rain we’re having, the weeds are growing faster than my veggies, herbs and flowers!  That’s how you know a weed, btw - it’s the one that’s growing better and faster than anything else, and when you pull on it, it’s harder to pull out than something you’ve planted.  Well, I have been pretty much out of commission in the way of gardening for the past week or more due to a bad back.  I was rear-ended over 20 years ago - sitting in the back seat, of course - and every few years my back reminds me of it.  So weird that this is still going on after this long.  Strangely enough, it started with a case of poison ivy (I’ve never gotten poison ivy in my life) that got really, really bad.  So after being on prednisone for 10 days and feeling like I was in my 20’s again, I apparently over-did “it.”  Whatever that means.  And then went to an event last Sunday where I sat on metal bleachers for hours.   So Monday I felt that familiar pain - took Advil and ignored it pretty much.  Tuesday a little worse; Wednesday - holy crap!  So I called my chiropractor, Dr. Mike , who is awesome!!  I was better Wednesday afternoon, but got cocky and by Friday I couldn’t hardly move, sit, stand, lie down - it was great.  So I went back to him Friday and he really helped.  He actually listens to you and doesn’t do anything crazy.  He says he’s no miracle worker, but I disagree.

Anyway, my weeds are starting to flower, and I’m seriously considering letting them and telling people they’re a new type of annual or something.  I know people who would believe me.   So I know what I’ll be doing every spare second this week - hope you fellow gardeners are in better shape than I!

The Business Side

I feel very successful.  (see above)  I LOVE my clients.  I have carefully chosen them (meaning I have only responded to RFP’s that are the type of clients I’m looking for) and of course there are the word-of-mouth clients that have found me.  I am a success in that regard.  I can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning to come down to my desk to see what’s happening for the day.  And all day I get emails from my clients asking me to take care of this or that - and it’s different for everyone.  The multi-tasking involved in my every day life is just wonderful!  Never a dull moment, never boring, and never a rude client - ever.  And why are my clients happy with me?  Because I never let them down.  I would do anything humanly possible to make whatever they need happen. 

Wouldn’t you like to have a relationship like that with a Virtual Assistant and have them say those things about you and how happy they are to work with you?  You can.  Contact me.  I’ll be happy to discuss your needs with you and how we will work together to get “it” done!

 Special Thanks

Speaking of success, a successful businessperson is someone who stands behind his/her product or services.  Recently I had a chance to see someone do that up close and personal.  I started purchasing my printer cartridges from Sheldon Pride of Cartridge World.  I’m all for saving money, but the real thing that convinced me to give it a try was the environmental aspect of it - the cartridges are refilled and DO NOT just get thrown in a landfill.  Recycling at its best!  So I pop in a cartridge in my new printer and - presto!  My printer is printing, but a blank page.  In an absolute panic (because I was in the middle of a time-sensitive job),  I emailed Sheldon.  He emailed me back in a short time asking me what the problem was and then called me (I’m sure I wasn’t clear in my email).   He literally jumped in his car, ran to his store and picked up more cartridges AND DROVE TO MY HOUSE!!  It turns out it wasn’t the cartridge at all, but my new printer needed to be told it had a new cartridge.  He showed me how to do that - very patiently I might add - and was on his way.  Can you imagine that??  I was so grateful to Sheldon and his amazing service, I’ll be ordering cartridges from him forever - and you should, too!  And his comment?  I stand behind my product.  What a guy!  What a SUCCESSFUL guy!  Thanks again, Sheldon!

The Food Critic

This month I have a sort of odd restaurant review in that it’s a “diner” and not actually a restaurant.  I personally love diners in general for certain times - like breakfast.  Today for Father’s Day we went out with my parents and my one daughter, her husband and three kids.  And where did we go?  To the A&N Diner in Sellersville, PA.  What a great place!  It is always open and always clean.  The wait staff and hostesses are always friendly and provide great service.  Our family has been going there for breakfast for years - the food is absolutely excellent!  And the second best part?  Nine people for $59.  Well, I guess eight people since the little guy is only just shy of a year, but STILL!!  I just had to recommend them - a place you wouldn’t think of writing a critique for, but a great place to go - especially for breakfast.  Check them out!