Food For Thought

“Here, try this!!” We have all heard that numerous times in our lives. Sad thing is many of us are quick to decline the offer without consideration.  But why?  Why not try something different even if it’s outside of our comfort zone?  Is it that we are complacent or that we want to “play it safe”?  I’ve heard that the older we are, the less likely we are to try new things, mostly because of fear of getting hurt, physically, and emotionally. But trying new things is what keeps us young; it allows us to grow and to find new activities that may become our new favorite thing.  So, why not try?!

There is a certain “F” word I dislike intensely and even borderline hate.  It’s not the one you may be thinking of; I use that one a lot 😊.  The one I hate is one I have been told on occasion that I am devoid of.  I’ll give you a hint: remember, I am simple, and I like “facts” (love that “F” word!). Give me facts all day long… I can work with and solve problems with them.  Facts, like the other F word, can be fun!

BHAG: BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL!!! Sounds crazy, unachievable and scary!  What were Jim Collins and Jerry Porras thinking when they first coined the phrase in their book, “Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies”? A BHAG needs to be big, seemingly impossible and forward thinking. Most importantly, it should provoke action and a sense of urgency. In short, a BHAG is inspirational and aspirational.

Hi all, this is Helene. As the Toby Keith song goes, “occasionally, I wanna talk about me (me, me, me)!”; so, Vijay agreed I could do exactly that this week.  Everything happens for a reason, right?   Have you ever wondered what the reason is or when/if we ever find out?  Or even if there is truth to that saying?  I think it’s fascinating to consider the possibilities, which is exactly what I’ve been doing the last few weeks after a vacation was unexpectedly interrupted. We hit a deer while riding on a motorcycle.  It was a remote, two-lane country road in Illinois late Sunday morning (Father’s Day).   We stayed upright and steady as the deer came up the windshield and fell off to the side; we are fine.  Unfortunately, neither the deer nor the bike survived.  That was the outcome, now here is the story…   

I am a simple person. I take things at face value without reading into them or searching for hidden meanings. If I have doubts about what someone means, I ask for clarification. Simply put (😊), I mean exactly what I say, and while I expect the same from others, I understand that words have impact and misunderstandings happen. I know that sometimes things should be said differently. It’s the same with actions; just like words, the same actions can take on a completely different meaning for each of us.  That sounds strange; how the heck do we all survive and navigate this? It’s complicated!