holiday cheer!

 

How I Lost My Man Card (Or the perils of being a trend setter)

I had no idea it could be revoked so easily. It was all my fault. I just didn’t understand the etiquette as it pertains to the yards of the houses in my neighborhood. This weekend I committed the biggest violation in the book and on Sunday afternoon I was informed that my man card had been revoked.

It was a dark and stormy day as I set out for Lowes and Home Depot on Saturday. My wife had a vision in mind for Christmas and I was just the minion to make that vision become a reality. We had been hip deep in Christmas lights and sticky, pine smelling roping when the idea of hundreds, no more than that, make it thousands of little white twinkly Christmas lights on the outside of our house were dancing like glowing sugar plumbs in her head. So I put on my Clark Griswold hat and went to the Christmas lighting departments of the local establishments to purchase my implements of construction.

After a couple of hours roaming the isles of all the different departments (I had no idea that so many new tools and cool things had been created this past year) I finally wondered into the Mecca and mother of all Christmas light designers dreams, the Christmas decoration area. I quickly saw I was going to need a few more carts! In no time I had bundles of extension cords and miles of rope lights plied high in my carts and was happily on my way home.

I’m not going to pretend that I did anything else on Saturday; after all, the TV was on and somehow the big college football games were on every time I sat down. But it wasn’t like I wasn’t working; as I sat there I was developing a plan for all those lights and cords. At least that is what I kept telling my wife. Anyway it was raining and even I know not to go playing with Christmas lights in the rain when college football is on TV.

Sunday I awoke to a perfect day. It was sunny and cool. Just the type of weather for a professional Christmas lights on your home designer like me! I got the ladder out, I got those extension cords out, and I began putting all types of lights on the outside of my house. Hours went by and I was up and down the ladder hundreds of times as I hung ice cycles and rope lights from the top to the bottom of the structure. It was a beautiful sight! I felt so Christmassy.

It reminded me of this famous movie I saw once! Click Here

As I gazed on the beauty I had created I slowly became aware of the labored sounds of my neighbor working. I looked over to the right and there was Allen climbing on his roof to hang lights. To my left, Joe was stringing cords and putting out lights. Across the street there was Bruce giving me a look as he hung lights from his gutters.

Later, once the daylight had slowly faded, my doorbell rung and there were the guys from the neighborhood. They had come to collect my man card. I had, in my Christmas excitement, broken the code. Now each of them was under pressure to get the lights on their house like “the Moore’s”. I guess I should have stuck with Sunday Football and a Christmas movie. Sorry guys….

 

It’s Good to be Weird Sometimes!

I stumbled across a quote by Paul McCartney recently that got me to thinking.

“I used to think that anyone doing anything weird was weird. I suddenly realized that anyone doing anything weird wasn’t weird at all and it was the people saying they were weird that were weird.”

Now, in my mind, as a child who grew up in the 1960’s and early 70’s, Paul McCartney and the rest of the “Fab 4″ were about a cool as humans could possibly get. So when I read the quote what I felt was that I wish I had read this when I was twelve years old. It sure could have helped me as traveled through high school and college.

As my children have grown up I found myself coming to the same conclusion as Paul McCartney. Kids can be brutal to those that don’t “conform” and I always found sadness in the social caste system of the public schools.

I can remember telling my son that he should be more accepting of a player on his baseball team that wasn’t as athletic, that he should get to know him better because one day he would be working for the guy. I also will never forget the pain of having each of my children have moments of not being accepted for who they really are as they traveled the hallways of our local high school.

It seems that being cool, and pointing out who isn’t, is much more important than actually building relationships. I never could understand why it is so frightening to people to encounter others that have varied interest and outlooks.

If you think about it, many of the major inventions in our world were brought to us by people who their peers thought were weird. The light bulb, the computer, the telephone, peanut butter, the airplane, the rocket and so many other wonderful ideas were the products of people that were focused on something just a little different than most of us.

So, today go out and do something a little weird that you have wanted to try. Sign up for those piano lessons you always wanted even if you will be the oldest person in the class, take dance lessons even if you will be the tallest person in the class, take that history or science class you always want to experience. Wear the red dress or the cowboy hat to work. Find things that bring joy to your sprit and lift you to achieve more.

I say why settle for normal? Just think of the possibilities; it is OK to be a little weird.

As the bumper sticker on the car in front of me said: “Why be Normal?”

 

My Momma Makes the Best Dressing!

As many of my friends have come to know, I love learning about the history of people and events. I am always asking “How did this get started” when I see a tradition. For me, an avid historian of American culture and personalities, it is not enough to simply celebrate. I always want to know why and how something we do together today got started.

Thanksgiving in America:

Almost 400 years ago, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans.

Though many competing claims exist, the most familiar story of the first Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, in 1621. More than 200 years later, President Abraham Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving.

Historians have also recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Berkeley Plantation, Virginia. At this site near the Charles River in December of 1619, a group of British settlers led by Captain John Woodlief knelt in prayer and pledged “Thanksgiving” to God for their healthy arrival after a long voyage across the Atlantic. This event has been acknowledged by some scholars and writers as the official first Thanksgiving among European settlers on record. Whether at Plymouth, Berkeley Plantation, or throughout the Americas, celebrations of thanks have held great meaning and importance over time.

As our country grew, days of thanksgiving were celebrated throughout the colonies after fall harvests. All thirteen colonies did not, however, celebrate Thanksgiving at the same time until October 1777. George Washington was the first president to declare the holiday, in 1789.

President Abraham Lincoln, looking for ways to unite the nation gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863, declaring the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving.

In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt, seeking to lengthen the Christmas shopping season, proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. Controversy followed, and Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November, where it remains.

My Momma Makes the Best Dressing:

For years my friends and I have had a friendly argument each holiday season about whose momma makes the best dressing and all the other special foods we eat at Thanksgiving.

So, what foods topped the table at the first harvest feast? Historians aren’t completely certain about the full bounty, however, the only two items that historians know for sure were on the menu are venison and wild fowl. Our modern Thanksgiving repast is centered around the turkey, but that certainly wasn’t the case at the Pilgrim’s feasts. Their meals included many different meats. Vegetable dishes, one of the main components of our modern celebration, didn’t really play a large part in the feast.

The pilgrims probably didn’t have pies or anything sweet at the harvest feast. They had brought some sugar with them on the Mayflower but by the time of the feast, the supply had dwindled. Also, they didn’t have an oven so pies and cakes and breads were not possible at all. The food that was eaten at the harvest feast would have seemed fatty by 1990’s standards.

What Does Your Family Eat?

In my family there are special requests by our children each year for certain items to be on the Thanksgiving menu. Our two college age kids always have something they ask my wife for to ensure that the day will be special.

So what makes the day’s meal special in our country? In a survey conducted by the National Turkey Federation, nearly 88 percent of Americans said they eat turkey at Thanksgiving. The average weight of turkeys purchased for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest pumpkin pie ever baked weighed 2,020 pounds and measured just over 12 feet long. It was baked on October 8, 2005 by the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers in Ohio, and included 900 pounds of pumpkin, 62 gallons of evaporated milk, 155 dozen eggs, 300 pounds of sugar, 3.5 pounds of salt, 7 pounds of cinnamon, 2 pounds of pumpkin spice and 250 pounds of crust.

The cranberry is one of only three fruits—the others are the blueberry and the Concord grape—that are entirely native to North American soil, according to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association.

Celebrate and Enjoy!

No matter what you eat on Thanksgiving; enjoy the time you have with family and friends. That is truly what makes the Holiday special. And remember to count your blessings, one-by-one, and you will appreciate all that makes this holiday and country special.

What’s Happening at Dancing Elephants?

We’re in the midst of bringing several new websites out. Over the years many people have requested our products but have had difficulty finding them on our website. That is all changing as we create new sites for each product. Check out the first one here: Six Secrets Starter Kit.

Finally, as part of our Love Your Life Again program we are producing lots of great new webinars and interviews with gurus. Our LYLA members have free access to these programs but everyone else can get in on the fun on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Keep an eye out for the latest events.

 

Preparing for the Funeral

A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death’s doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookies wafting up the stairs.

He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.

With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death’s agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven.

There, spread out up on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies.

Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?

Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table. The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife.

“Stay out of those,” she said.

“They’re for the funeral..”

When I read the funny / sad / so true story I laughed and showed it to my family and friends. We all had a very good chuckle because there is a thread of truth in the story. It got me to thinking about how many times each week I hold on to something special waiting for the perfect moment or place.

Are our actions more for the person or for the show? Are we more concerned about who sees what we do than for the person or group we are assisting? Are we more concerned about the people that will be attending the funeral than for the last days of the departed?

If I was able to live my life as if each day were the last one, would I do things differently? You bet I would. So why not look at each day as if I have a gift of 1,440 minutes to make life as pleasant for those around me and the people I care about the most?

If we wait for the right moment to say those special words or present that token of appreciation, all too often we find that our timing is off anyway. No need to wait for the holidays to show you care. You can do it today with a simple word or act of kindness and it will have more meaning than you can imagine.

Now, I am working on those random acts of kindness and how little things I do, that take very little effort, can really brighten up someone’s life. As my momma used to tell me when I was growing up, “Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a gift: that’s why we call it – The Present”

Reminder:

I want to remind everyone that Final Friday Forum for November will be held next week on November 20th. We are going a week earlier to accommodate the Thanksgiving Holiday. This is the last Final Friday Forum for the year, so come out and celebrate with us!

According to my calendar, there are just 7 weeks left in the year, but don’t worry – we’re going to make the most of them for you. We have three more fantastic webinars scheduled, including one with special guest presenter,Vickie Griffith. If you haven’t heard Vickie talk about using the Law of Attraction to get everything you want, you are leaving money on the table. Serious money! For more information about this special webinar; just click here!

We are already planning next year’s webinar lineup so if there is a topic you’d like to hear or a presenter you really want us to secure, just let me know. We are committed to bringing you the most powerful, inspiring, useful experts in the world – you just have to ask!

What’s Shaking at Dancing Elephants?

We’re in the midst of bringing several new websites out. Over the years many people have requested our products but have had difficulty finding them on our website. That is all changing as we create new sites for each product. Check out the first one here: Six Secrets Starter Kit.

Finally, as part of our Love Your Life Again program we are producing lots of great new webinars and interviews with gurus. Our LYLA members have free access to these programs but everyone else can get in on the fun on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Keep an eye out for the latest events.

 

Preparing for Excellence with a Plan and a Purpose

For the past four or five weeks every weekend has included a trip out of town for a day or more so it was with much anticipation that saw this past weekend approaching. My wife Linda and I were staying at home. It just felt good to be saying those words. Little did I know that I’d be spending my weekend on the list of “one thousand chores” of things that needed to be done around our house, but my wife had a plan and was full of purpose for this day!

We awoke on Saturday early and headed straight to Lowes and Home Depot. I know it was early because the Hot Dog vender was not even set up yet. Heck, there was no one in the drive through lane at McDonalds, so it had to be really early. I think we were in the first dozen people in the store. We were so early that everyone working in both stores was still friendly and helpful and even spent time chit chatting. Then we were back to the house for an all out assault on the planned operation.

I have no idea when all those leaves came down but with some help from our friends we were able to rake and then mow our entire yard. We cleaned and stripped the deck and then stained and sealed it again. Linda and some friends sanded the deck railing and then painted it. We removed the leaves off the roof and cleaned the sky lights. By the time the college football games were coming on TV I was exhausted. But there was more to do.

The reason we had all this activity is that we know that these beautiful days of fall will give way to short, cold and damp days of winter. We are getting ready for the next season now. It is time to protect and repair our assets.

It got me to thinking about what are we doing at Dancing Elephants to prepare for the next season. The slowest times of the year for our training business are the weeks between the holidays of Thanksgiving and New Years. Many companies and individuals get caught up in the end of the year rush and the holiday festivities so our business slows.

We can do little to change the behavior of our prospects and clients but we can find better ways to use our time when things are slow. This year we are going to prepare ourselves by becoming better organized and finding opportunities to educate ourselves better. We have to get ready because the first few months of the year are going to be very busy.

Does your business have cycles and seasons? What are you doing in the slower times to better prepare you and your staff for the next busy season and cycle? It is amazing how much we can all get done with a plan and a purpose for excellence!

I want to remind everyone that Final Friday Forum for November will be held next week on November 20th. We are going a week earlier to accommodate the Thanksgiving Holiday. This is the last Final Friday Forum for the year, so come out and celebrate with us!

According to my calendar, there are just 7 weeks left in the year, but don’t worry – we’re going to make the most of them for you. We have three more fantastic webinars scheduled, including one with special guest presenter, Vickie Griffith. If you haven’t heard Vickie talk about using the Law of Attraction to get everything you want, you are leaving money on the table. Serious money! For more information about this special webinar; just click here!

We are already planning next year’s webinar lineup so if there is a topic you’d like to hear or a presenter you really want us to secure, just let me know. We are committed to bringing you the most powerful, inspiring, useful experts in the world – you just have to ask!

What’s Shaking at Dancing Elephants?

We’re in the midst of bringing several new websites out. Over the years many people have requested our products but have had difficulty finding them on our website. That is all changing as we create new sites for each product. Check out the first one here: Six Secrets Starter Kit.

Finally, as part of our Love Your Life Again program we are producing lots of great new webinars and interviews with gurus. Our LYLA members have free access to these programs but everyone else can get in on the fun on a pay-as-you-go basis.

 

How Slower became Faster

Fall arrived at my home while I was traveling over the past couple of weeks. I am way behind on my leaf raking and preparations for winter and plan to spend this coming weekend catching up. I am doing a lot of catching up lately.

It seems that my life is going by at an amazing speed as this year comes to a close. The short amount of daylight this time of year isn’t helping as it is now usually dark by the time I get back home. Not only that, but I think I have some bear DNA in my body as I have this urge to find a heavy quilt and hibernate until spring.

This past weekend I fought through all the domestic reasons to stay home and my wife and I drove over one-thousand miles as we attended a football game in central Virginia and then drove to Asheville to meet my son and shop with him for a car. My son is a senior at Western Carolina University and has been without personal transportation since unfortunate events two weeks ago.

Our strategy was to spend Sunday checking out all the car lots in the western part of North Carolina (felt that way to me) and then have a list of about five cars we wanted to check test drive on Monday.

When the sun came up over the colorful vista of the autumn mountains on Monday we proceeded with our plan. From the start nothing went as we had planned.

We did test drive five different cars but not exactly the ones I thought we had planned to when making our list on Sunday. After hitting a few of the local independent “pre-owned” lots, we made a stop at a new car lot. The good thing is we ended up meeting and working with a really knowledgeable and decent sales professional named Danny Massie at the Toyota dealer in Asheville. He has been selling cars for the same dealership for 32 years.

Danny was so different from the other salespeople we have encountered over the years that we were instantly drawn to him and his expert knowledge of automobiles. At no time did we ever feel rushed or pressured. Danny seemed to be as committed to finding the right car fit for my son as we were. Each time we encountered an obstacle Danny was there to suggest a solution. He never once assumed anything and was a very patient as the day turned into evening.

The lesson I was reminded of as we signed the paperwork while the full moon rose over the horizon was that customers know when someone is working for them. We all know when a sales professional is knowledgeable and is working in our best interest. We have seen so many people that are in sales that don’t understand what the process is all about that when we find a good one we know the difference.

To be successful in business and sales you have to be knowledgeable, confident and work in the best interest of your customer. Sales pressure and manipulation may help you close a deal once or for a moment but in the long run, if you want to be a success and a professional you will have to be credible and work to find the best fit that supplies what your prospect wants. It really is that simple. Slower is faster if you want to be a success in business. Take the time to do the right things and you’ll be rewarded for it!

What’s Shaking at Dancing Elephants?

At the office we’ve got lots of new things happening. We’re officially launching our Elephant University (EU) licensing program this week and are seeking qualified trainers/coaches around the country to open EU campuses in their states. If you know someone who wants to have an almost turnkey addition to their training programs, have them give us a call.

We’re also in the midst of bringing several new websites out. Over the years many people have requested our products but have had difficulty finding them on our website. That is all changing as we create new sites for each product. Check out the first one here: Six Secrets Starter Kit.

Finally, as part of our Love Your Life Again program we are producing lots of great new webinars and interviews with gurus. Our LYLA members have free access to these programs but everyone else can get in on the fun on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Keep an eye out for the latest events.

 

A Rainy Day at the Beach is better than a Sunny Day in the Office

I have been spending a few days working from the Myrtle Beach area this week. The first days were sunny and mild but Monday was rainy and cool and Tuesday is supposed to be the same. It doesn’t bother me a bit.

Hey, I’m at the beach! I know I’m still working but “I’m working it at the beach, ya’ll”.

For Dinner one night I cruised up to Calabash for seafood that was amazing. When I look out my window I see the waves rolling onto the beautiful sandy beach. Last night I drove from South Myrtle Beach to North Myrtle Beach on Ocean Boulevard and only had to stop at two stop lights in my entire journey.

Don’t tell anyone (it’s our secret) but October is the perfect time to come to the beach. You can get an ocean front hotel room here in Myrtle Beach for anywhere from $27 to $39 a night. A three bedroom ocean front condo can be had for as little as $325 a week. There is no traffic and everyone I meet is so friendly. At dinner last night our waitress took every effort to make sure we were the happiest people in the restaurant.

Needless to say this isn’t the same Myrtle Beach that I am used to visiting in the summer months. Working here in this atmosphere doesn’t feel like work.

So my quest is to recreate my feelings and attitude later this week when I am back in my office again. I need to see things in the Triangle with new eyes and experience the area like a visitor. Same thing with work, I have enjoyed working here and need to bring that same attitude with me to my tasks each day. Being happy feels good and finding ways to be that way is important.

Perhaps what I have learned here in South Carolina is that it is not where you are but how you look at things around you that makes the difference.

At the office we’ve got lots of new things shaking. We’re officially launching our Elephant University (EU) licensing program next week and are seeking qualified trainers/coaches around the country to open EU campuses in their states. If you know someone who wants to have an almost turnkey addition to their training programs, have them give us a call.

We’re also in the midst of bringing several new websites out. Over the years many people have requested our products but have had difficulty finding them on our website. That is all changing as we create new sites for each product. Check out the first one here: Six Secrets Starter Kit.

Finally, as part of our Love Your Life Again program we are producing lots of great new webinars and interviews with gurus. Our LYLA members have free access to these programs but everyone else can get in on the fun on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Keep an eye out for the latest events. The next one is today and it is called Meet Your Future! Just click here for more information.

 

Social Media Revolution

 

Why Being a Bit Squirrely can be Good!

I spent most of my day on Saturday preparing for the change of seasons by winterizing my camper. I went under the camper draining the water out of the tanks and then pressurizing the water lines and blowing any excess water out so when it gets cold this winter my water and waste lines will not freeze up and burst. I checked the tires to make sure they were full of air and finally pulled a big old tarp over the camper and secured it tightly so it wouldn’t fly away in the brisk winter winds that are sure to come.

As I was working on the camper, I noticed a handful of our “front yard squirrels” working just as hard as I was collecting the bumper crop of acorns and nuts that have fallen so far this season. The squirrels seemed to never stop as they would locate an acorn and then go up the tree to their nest or find some special spot in the flower garden to bury the treasure they will dig up when times get tough later.

Both the squirrels and I were doing the same thing, preparing for the tough times of the upcoming winter. As a business owner, manager or sales professional what should we be doing this month to prepare for the upcoming winter months?

Here is a short list that will make a big difference to your bottom line when spring arrives.

1. Review or create a six month and twelve month sales and marketing plan.
2. Update or create a one page strategic plan for your business.
3. Create sales goals for each segment of your business.
4. Set budgets for all spending categories and time-lines for the expenditures.
5. Challenge yourself and your staff to become very knowledgeable about four new things that could help your business grow.
6. Review all spending and make critical adjustments that will impact the next six months positively.
7. Call or visit your top 10 customers to gain feedback.
8. Call or visit your bottom 5 customers to gain feedback.
9. Ask your staff and your advisors to suggest one fun activity you can do twice a month.
10. Take one entire afternoon off and do nothing but dream about what your business can become and what you want to achieve with your life. This is serious because you are going to use these dreams as part of your next strategic plan.

If you wait or delay working on these activities I predict you will find yourself in the not to distant future “winging it” and scrambling to find new business while having to hold on to customers you should jettison.

Just like the squirrels and the farmers take time now to prepare for the dark winter months. If you do, you will have a bright new year and reach heights for you and your business you never thought possible.