Leaving the Past Behind

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.
–Carl Brad

I like Brad’s perspective for several reasons. First, looking backward rarely helps us. When we concentrate on our past, we miss current opportunities, sometimes with disastrous results. The TV show America’s Funniest Videos, for instance, is full of clips of people riding bikes while looking backwards and then crashing. And, police accident reports are replete with stories of distractions that caused damage to both people and property. Focusing on the past while moving forward is never a good strategy.

Brad’s quotation also reminds me of our ability to imagine and create a different future for ourselves and others. Reality is indeed open ended, so we are not stuck with a predetermined future. Our efforts today can and do make our pathways better and brighter. We truly can change situations and ourselves.

Furthermore, I like the statement’s emphasis on today. While the past is gone and the future has not arrived, today is here. My work is in the present moment. I don’t have to wait for the perfect moment, great conditions, an ideal situation or anything else. I can begin my journey to a better future right now.

CHAMPS take the first step.

Hello Morning! Tips for a Better Day

I have a friend whose mornings are recurrent catastrophes. He creates these maelstroms by setting his alarm to go off as late as he possibly can. His goal is to enjoy those last few moments of sleep and still get to work on time. As a result, he jerks awake each morning at the alarm’s raucous call, rubs the sleep from his eyes and jumps out of bed. He rushes to shower, shave, dress, and grab some coffee and a bagel. Then, he runs out the door to his car, drives to work as fast as traffic will allow and careens into the parking lot. Finally, he hurries into his office and usually collapses at his desk just in time for work to begin.

But that’s not all. By mid morning, exhaustion clouds both his thinking and activities. After a very full day of work, he drags himself home in the evening, bemoaning the heavy load he carries. Though my friend seems to plan his life for that morning rush, he often complains about how hectic and chaotic his life has become.

Mornings are a crucial time for us. They set the tone for our days, mentally, emotionally and physically. Taking time for a little reverie early can energize our lives into productive performance throughout the hours that follow. This probably requires arising from sleep earlier in order to have the time to reflect and order the coming day.

Medical professionals recommend starting with a good breakfast. Others extol times of meditation or exercise. I have developed the practice of choosing books to read in the early morning hours, the only time of my day that I can control what I am thinking.

When we are refreshed in the morning, we can meet the day’s challenges with equanimity, thoughtfulness and vigor, using a positive attitude to respond to our circumstances.

CHAMPS greet the morning with a song.

A CHAMP’s world consists chiefly of others.

In the morning, I regularly stop at a gas station for a paper, coffee or maybe a snack. The station bustles with activity as people come and go. As is customary, lines are painted on the pavement to direct the traffic flow and ensure efficient parking. However, yesterday when I pulled in, someone had parked an SUV across four parking spaces. Other hurried drivers had left their cars haphazardly in the lot, causing an obstacle course for patrons as they entered and exited.

On the way home later that day, I stopped at a drug store to pick up a prescription and noticed some construction at the intersection just beyond the store. A long line of drivers impatient with the inevitable delay was snaking its way through the parking lot to avoid the slowdown at the corner. I watched as several people struggled to park their cars while pedestrians had difficulty negotiating a path through the line of vehicles to enter the pharmacy. I

was reminded that parking spots, lanes of travel and traffic rules have been generated so that all of us can move more smoothly. And, when one or more of us break these rules, we make it difficult for others. While following the established patterns may momentarily slow us down, it promotes greater speed for the majority.

A CHAMP’s world consists chiefly of others.

Do the Hard Things First

A new workday morning had dawned, and I was on the road headed for the office. Suddenly, a bright yellow light on the dashboard caught my attention. My heart sank. It was the check engine light. The hassle of dropping the car off at the dealership, getting a ride to work, waiting for the obviously bad news, and then returning after work to pay for and pick up the car loomed before me. I wanted to ignore that nasty light and keep driving, hoping it was a mistake.

I saw a stop sign ahead. “I’ll stop, turn off the engine and restart the car,” I thought to myself. “Maybe the light won’t reappear.” Unfortunately, when the engine hummed to life, the light blinked on and glared at me more brightly than before. I gulped, changed direction and took the car to the garage for repairs.

The knowledge that my wallet would likely be considerably lighter by late afternoon clouded my day at the office. However, I was pleasantly surprised. When I picked the car up, the mechanic smiled. “It was only a small split in a secondary air pump hose,” he explained. “We were able to re-cut and re-clamp it in place with no trouble. In fact, it won’t cost you a thing!”

“Thanks a lot!” I replied and heaved a quiet sigh of relief—though I had no clue what a “secondary air pump hose” was.

As I drove myself home, I thought, “I wasted a lot of energy today worrying about a lot of nothing. I’m glad that this episode is finished.”

Doing the difficult sooner rather than later has always been fruitful.

CHAMPS do the hard thing first.

Stone Soup: Pooling Resources in Difficult Times

Have you ever heard the European fable “Stone Soup”? The tale begins as a stranger enters a village during difficult times. When the locals realize that he is thinking of staying for a while, they do their best to encourage him to leave, fearing that he will take what’s left of their food reserves.

In response, the newcomer announces loudly that he is there to make stone soup for them. While the villagers watch, he builds a fire and places a large cauldron filled with water on it. When the water begins to boil, he drops a very ordinary-looking stone into the pot with great ceremony. After a few minutes, the self-appointed chef leans over and sniffs the “soup.” Standing to his full height, he announces with delight, “Mmmm! That smells wonderful!”

Curious townspeople draw nearer to observe—and hopefully smell—this marvel. Some within earshot hear the stranger sigh and say to himself, almost as an afterthought, “Ah, it would taste so much better with a bit of cabbage.”

Within a short time, a small child threads her way through the growing crowd, carrying a small cabbage. She steps up to the chef and silently offers him her contribution. Others slowly follow her example, and soon, the pot is filled with a variety of vegetables. The stranger thanks each contributor, simmers the soup to perfection and then proceeds to feed the entire village.

During difficult times, it is easy to horde our own resources, storing them safely for our future use. Unfortunately, this practice effectively shuts down our connections with the people around us, ensuring our own—and their—isolation. However, when we share, we open ourselves to others, to their resources, and to a richness known only in community. Despite the gloomy financial forecast, it is possible to feast together by pooling our supplies, and thereby enjoying shared assets, new ideas and each other.

CHAMPS include people.