It’s been a while since I posted to this blog. The last thing I want to do is overwhelm people who are already busy. This entry is focused on one simple idea and hopefully worth the quick and easy read.
THE ONE THING There’s No Secret to Happiness . . . or is There?
The one thing I can offer that nobody else can is my own story—which is often “our” story. Many of us are asking the same questions, going through the same things, and have the same goals for the new year. This is my take on happiness (and how to have more of it in your life) and I hope it resonates with you. It’s about three things: Gratefulness. Seeing and seeking the positive side of things. Taking small and positive steps towards our goals. Read on.
———————————————————————————————————————— MY STORY The Same Story Told Two Ways
Let’s be honest, 2020 and 2021 were weird years. Things got (mostly) back to normal in 2022. For me it was a comeback year of sorts, but fell short in a number of ways. WRITING In 2022 I didn’t have any books come out and the e-books I did release were met with little fanfare. Maybe worse, a couple of ideas I had for books went on to become best sellers . . . for others. OR WRITING I didn’t write a book of my own, but I was hired this year to help a famous person write his—and I’m loving it. The book ideas I had that became best sellers prove I have good ideas.
———————————————————————————————————————— SPEAKING Although I was booked an average of twice a month to speak, it wasn’t like the old days when I would give 100 presentations a year. I love what I do and I would love to do it more. OR SPEAKING The fact that people even want to hear what I have to say is such an honor. To be able to travel all over the country and empower people never gets old. Yes, I had less speaking engagements, but I had more really good ones—and I even got to play the drums on stage. ———————————————————————————————————————— PARENTING It was fun to watch Ethan become the starting quarterback of his high school team and he played well, but the team fell short at the end of the season. I was on the coaching staff of the freshman baseball team, but our schedule had us facing competition four divisions higher. OR PARENTING Ethan exceeded every expectation everyone had for him and it was amazing to watch him excel at such a high level. He was chosen as an all-city all star. To be able to coach my son at the high school level was awesome. Yes, in baseball we played the best teams in town, but we held our own and I built a bond with the players I know will last. ———————————————————————————————————————— HEALTH AND FITNESS I started the year having lost 50 pounds and then lost an additional 20 pounds by summer. Unfortunately, by the end of the year I gained back the 20 pounds. OR HEALTH AND FITNESS I did gain back some weight, but I also got a clean bill of health (for the most part) from my doctor. Many people don’t know this but I had a health scare 17 years ago where I could have easily died, so I feel lucky to be alive. ————————————————————————————————————————
LOVE AND MARRIAGE My wife was promoted and worked longer hours so I did more of the cooking, cleaning, and driving my son around. OR LOVE AND MARRIAGE My wife is amazing and her promotion is a blessing. It turns out I like to cook and enjoy driving Evan around (so we can spend time together). ———————————————————————————————————————— ACTION IDEAS Things We Can Do
I know how whiny that all sounds. Each one of those four areas of my life could be viewed as less than stellar. However, with just a slight change in how I perceive each area, I get an entirely different (and better) perspective.
The key is not just seeing the silver lining and the good in what seems like a bad situation, it’s about being grateful for what you have—and not comparing what you have (or don’t have) to what others do. Some of the things I plan to do in 2023 that I will do to improve and inspire others are:
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1. At the start and end of the day take I will stock of what I am grateful for and write down three in a little pocket journal. I want to make this a habit so it becomes second nature. ———————————————————————————————————————— 2. Anyone who knows me knows I already have my goals for 2023 all written up along with a plan. The thing I want to add this year is to focus more on the why. Why am I here? Why is this important? Why do this? ———————————————————————————————————————— 3. I’m a big believer that we should think big, but also focus on small wins and do the little things that lead to big success. I’m going to look for one thing I can do for each area of my life that is quick and easy, and just do it. ————————————————————————————————————————
4. I’ve always volunteered my time to help out (maybe to a fault) but the truth is the reason I would love to win the lottery is because of what it would allow me to do for others. Since winning the lottery is unlikely, I will look for simple and small acts of kindness I can do daily. ————————————————————————————————————————
5. No excuses. It’s so easy to blame others (our circumstances) when everything isn’t the way we want it. I am going to take a page of the Chicken Soup For The Soul’s author’s approach. They wouldn’t quit for the day until they landed one promotional opportunity for the book. I’m going to apply that same principle to my business and career. ———————————————————————————————————————— Well, this post ended up a lot longer than I thought it would but I hope it helps at least one person to see things a little differently as we charge ahead into the new year. Good luck and keep in touch. Interacting with readers is the best part of publishing a blog like this.
Ethan Silber, number 13, was chosen as a city-wide all star out of hundreds of high school football players in San Diego.