Falling On Your Face Sometimes Is OK

There are lessons learned when we face failure or disappointment.  Sometimes things don't fall in place like we expected them to and we make decisions that may not serve us.  Instead of getting stressed, worrying about the outcome or impact, step back - breathe and then ask yourself.....what did I learn from this experience? There are always lessons to be learned.  As Deepak Chopra says "In every failure is the seed of success.  Our failures are stepping-stones in the mechanics of creation, bringing us ever closer to our goals.  In reality, there is no such thing as failure. What we call failure is just a mechanism through which we can learn to do things right." If you learn to be OK with this thought process and practice it, you will find more clarity and peace of  mind.

When Traveling Enjoy Where You Are

We flew up to Chicago this past Friday for a friend's surprise 60th (before he turns 61) birthday party.  The gathering of old friends and the party was so much fun and went on into the early a.m.  But backing up... what I noticed is how special trips can be if you stay in the moment and enjoy the whole experience as it unfolds.  I took my camera and my Flip but I also had fun from the moment we got on Southwest Airlines.  My seat mate was this lovely woman, Ruth who had a tiny service dog in her lap.  She was traveling from South Florida to Santa Fe, NM where she and her husband now live most of the year.  We had great conversations on living in Santa Fe, why she has a service dog, how she met her husband, etc.  When we got over Chicago, the sky was blue and clear and we could see the city and downtown.  The trees were changing color and the air was crisp but very pleasant.  I took lots of pictures of the trees - from yellow, orange and red.  The sun was setting while I was driving to and I noticed that it is much larger in that part of the country than in South Florida where we experience beautiful sunsets every night. We passed the White Sox stadium (new one) and saw lots of people heading home on the L train. We stayed in an old, established  country club (built in 1911).  The room was all right and the party was held there so it was so very convenient to just walk up stairs after one too many glasses of champagne and night turning to morning.  I took a walk around the grounds in the morning and appreciated the colors, flowers, leaves falling off the trees, the cool air, the golfers and the birds.  We passed Mark's old high school, had breakfast at the Egg & I and even drove by his old house - lots of fond memories for him in all of these locations.  There are other experiences from the trip I could share but i won't.  I simply want to say - take time to enjoy the moments as they unfold when you are anywhere as life is a journey to be explored.

Preparing to Attend the Mortgage Bankers Association in Atlanta

So it's been five years since I attended and actually served "booth duty" at the annual MBA conference. In 2005, the conference was held in Orlando during Hurricane Wilma.  That was an experience - I remember the chandeliers swinging a bit, the lights flashing, wind blowing outside and lots of rain but that was about it for the Orlando area. That was the last year I was actively in the mortgage business - served as a national business development manager for a valuation company based in CA.  Looking back now, I think the hurricane arriving in FL was a metaphor to what happened in the mortgage business the following year and continues to effect many.

This year the conference is in Atlanta in less than two weeks and close enough to justify going although I will be attending from a different perspective as a coach and part time sales consultant.  It will be a lot of fun reconnecting with my old associates, clients and new people I will meet.  The industry is in tremendous turmoil currently and I believe there is a huge opportunity for coaching to change processes and mind sets of how to do business in service to the consumer.  It will be interesting to reflect on what I see and hear and what opportunities there are and where the decision makers think this huge industry is heading.