#517: Your Inheritance (Friday, November 25)

Children are like sponges. They soak up everything they see and hear around them, even when you think they're not listening.

That includes fear. The things that you're afraid of, that you worry about, that you dislike - you can inadvertently them pass on to your kids.

Is that the inheritance you want to give them?

#516: History Repeats Itself? (Friday, November 18)

Earlier this week, I went into Bath & Body Works to pick up a few essentials. I'd grabbed about four items, when an associate came over and asked me if I wanted a bag.

The last time I'd gone into the store and gotten a bag, I had used it to accidentally knock over a display of shower gels and hand sanitizers, which created such a scene. I was afraid of the same thing happening again.

So I declined the bag and continued shopping. Unfortunately, my hands couldn't hold everything and one of the bottles - the glass one - fell and shattered across the floor.

The associate who had offered me the bag couldn't disguise her annoyance. Not only did I cost them product, now she would have to clean up my mess and avoid someone else slipping in it. I felt terrible.

If I had taken the bag, I would have been much more aware of myself and distance to the display to avoid knocking things over. By succumbing to my fear, I had created a situation that was much worse.

Moral: Don't be afraid of making the same mistakes, or being hurt, or being in an unpleasant situation  twice. History doesn't repeat itself if you make decisions based on experience and information the second time around.

#515: We Gon Be Alright (Friday, November 11)

"...When you know, we been hurt, been down befo'...
When my pride was low, lookin' at the world like, 'where do we go?'
...
I'm at the preacher's door
My knees gettin' weak, and my gun might blow, but we gon' be alright..."

-Kendrick Lamar, We Gon' Be Alright

When one of your greatest fears is realized, remember one thing: it didn't kill you, you are still here, so you will be alright. :)

#514: Controlla (Friday, November 4)

We've all been micro managed before. And whether it's being done professionally or personally, it's no less irritating.

I used to be annoyed by micro managers because I thought they were doing it on purpose, and it was due to a lack of trust in me. 

But trust is only a part of it. The other part? Control.

Some people are just afraid to lose, relinquish or not have control. So it manifests itself in other ways, such as micro management/obsession with the minutia.

If you're one of those people who hate to not be in control, the fact of the matter is that you can't control every situation. No matter how much you plan and prepare and harp on the details, something will always be outside of your purview. 

Pick a project, pick an event, pick a situation and Just. Let. Go. The world will not end.